GPS/GNSS Products

GNSS, GPS, Galileo & Glonass Re-Radiators, Signal Boosters or Repeaters

Restrictions are in force on the sale and use of GPS Reradiators in the European Union.

In the UK GPS Repeater products are subject to the provisions of the Radio and Telecommunications Terminal Equipment Regulations 2000 SI 730 as amended (R&TTE Regulations). Elsewhere in the European Union individual countries will have adopted the R&TTE Regulations in their own way. The European Directive is here.

In the UK Ofcom advises that with certain exceptions, radio apparatus must comply with the provisions the R&TTE Regulations. It is a criminal offence to place non-compliant apparatus on the market. It is one of Ofcom’s responsibilities to enforce this legislation and they have announced that any person who places GPS repeater types of apparatus on the market or uses it in the UK is likely to be committing an offence.

See the full text of the Ofcom Announcement.

There are however exceptions – one important one is de fined in R&TTE Regulations 2000 SI 730 Part II Para 3, sub-para (4) and repeated below to save you reading through the entire regulation.

(4) These Regulations shall not apply to apparatus exclusively used for the purposes of public security, defence, State security (including the economic well-being of the State) or the activities of the State in the area of criminal law.

If you are testing for a military application - you are NOT in breach of the R&TTE directive as this provides exemption for Crown Servants.

If your application is a fixed installation in a test environment which conforms to para (4) above, then you are probably all clear for legal use - for further information and advice please contact us. In addition operation outside UK or other EU States’ Territorial Waters is not under the jurisdiction of any of the national radio regulatory bodies.

There are other potential exemptions about which we are currently in discussion with Ofcom, these include the supply of apparatus for testing purposes (for industrial use) under the heading “Is testing or measurement equipment covered by the Directive?”.

We are working with Ofcom to move towards a light licensing regime whereby the location where testing will take place and a link budget identifying the amount of radiated power will be agreed. It is unlikely that Ofcom will ever allow the use of in-vehicle cigarette lighter powered re-radiators. Hanger and garage radiating solutions, either for testing or providing signal to a receiver so that it is primed and ready to go are not so clear cut at the present, from a future licensing prospective. However we have solutions to work around this and you should contact us for further information.

You may also seek independent advice from a R&TTE “Notified Body”

Different rules apply in the USA and are currently under discussion by National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA).

Read Charles Curry’s contribution on GPS Re-Radiators at the 46th CGSIC meeting in Forth Worth Sept 2006 here.