NAB Logo

Broadcast Positioning System (BPS)™




How does our nation depend on GPS?

You likely depend on GPS service (or Global Positioning System) to get from one place to the next - you just plug in coordinates into your phone to be directed to your destination via that quickest route. But beyond convenience, GPS is critical for our nation's safety.

Here's why: GPS is like a universal clock that provides precision timing vital to the power grid, first responders, wireless communications and financial transactions - just to name a few.


What would happen if GPS is compromised?

A GPS failure could be catastrophic to our nation, putting public safety at risk and causing hundreds of billions of dollars in potential damages. A GPS outage could cause the energy grid to fail, equity trading to halt, telecommunications systems to go down and transportation systems to grind to a standstill.

Is GPS failure really possible?

The threat of an outage is real. GPS uses satellite signals that are vulnerable to jamming and spoofing, key components of a cybersecurity attack.

In light of these threats, the president issued an executive order directing the government to find a back-up system to GPS to protect the U.S.



How Can Broadcasting Help?

Our nation's system of broadcasting has a strong, reliable infrastructure. Using a technology standard known as ATSC 3.0, broadcasters can transmit precise timing signals known as the Broadcast Positioning System™ (BPS) from their towers.

BPS is a reliable, complementary service to GPS, and broadcasters are already working with the government to keep our nation safe.

It works independently of GPS, internet or cellular connectivity. If GPS fails, BPS still works.

The broadcast infrastructure is already built out with broadcast towers across the country. However, in order for BPS to become a reality, the ATSC 3.0 broadcast standard must be available nationwide. Currently, about 75% of the country can receive these Next Generation TV signals. As the television industry works to rapidly deploy ATSC 3.0 signals nationwide, we need Congress’ support to expedite the transition and unlock the innovative and pro-consumer applications of the technology.



Broadcast Positioning System as a Complementary Service to GPS Webinar

January 16, 2025

This webinar is a joint effort by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) and the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society to educate the international broadcast community on the importance of BPS, a complementary terrestrial service to the Global Positioning System (GPS) and other Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) using infrastructure already in place at many television stations across the country.

Learn More »


Learn More About BPS




The Bottom Line

Broadcasting is dependable in times of emergency, and its ability to seamlessly complement GPS is another example of this. Policymakers should work alongside broadcasters to deploy the new ATSC 3.0 technology standard nationwide as quickly as possible, ensuring BPS can help defend our nation's critical infrastructure, economic security and public safety.




National Association of Broadcasters
1 M Street SE
Washington, D.C. 20003
202 429 5300 | nab@nab.org

© 2025 National Association of Broadcasters
Privacy Policy | Terms of Use

Connect With Us