Global Positioning System Reference
In-Depth Information
Ubiquitous positioning may become more profitable than some of their current
services. Whereness may become viewed as a new utility in its own right.
3.5
Businesses Relevant to Whereness
There are many general areas and trends in the future digital networked economy
that could be important. So what specific businesses and systems could contribute
to the convergence and what are their trends? The following sections cover the
most important.
3.5.1
Global Navigational Satellite System (GNSS) Receivers
The increased use and lower costs of Global Navigational Satellite System
receivers generally and their integration into portable computing platforms will
increase the business of the chip-set and original equipment manufacturers (OEM)
and the appeal of the end products. It is likely, however, that the software-defined
radio
5
will perhaps place some of the complex processing out of dedicated GNSS
chips and place it within the software of the end device (along with any other
wireless processing). Standard high-end general purpose chip makers will
increasingly be placing software radio subsystems within their standard products
so that most general purpose processors will contain a wireless, or at very least,
some of it.
As more systems become available, multiband GNSSs will become more
common, adding to the opportunities for the receiver providers. Within about a
decade, we could expect to have at least three systems available (enhanced GPS,
Galileo, and revamped GLONASS). Actual availability will depend on the health
of relevant economies and politics rather than on technologies.
A wildcard concerns the future of spacecraft. Until recently it was not
difficult to predict the enormous cost of placing platforms in orbit but the advent
of space tourism just might change the economics of space. This is unlikely to be
evident for at least a decade until the second generation of tourist craft is
launched, assuming the first generation is a success.
Another wildcard concerns the future of high-altitude platforms (HAP), which
might be an alternative to GNSS. Very high altitude solar powered airships or
aircraft are being researched at present. They may, if successful, be used for
communications, remote sensing and imaging, energy generation, and navigation.
3.5.2
Cellular Mobile Radio Operators
Basic voice and data services are now highly competitive. Future revenues will be
increasingly dependent of value-added services, especially those involving social
5
Software-defined radio is described in Chapter 9.
