As the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) put the seventh navigation satellite system into the orbit to make the home grown GPS system a reality, the ecosystem that uses, builds apps and products is upbeat. The ecosystem players have begun to discuss the ways and means to tap the system.

The ecosystem now awaits the policy intervention and the chipsets that can recognise the NAVIC signals. The present chips recognise the US and other navigational signals.

While it addresses the long-felt need of the strategic agencies in building safer and secure products and solutions, the Navigation with Indian Constellation (NAVIC) is expected to trigger development of mobile apps, providing GPS-based services to the users.

The real benefit of the navigational system will be when it starts getting used by consumers on their mobile phones for services such as online cab hailing, or for driving directions as they move from one place to the other.

“The users must be given the option to choose their navigational system. Phones and devices could give the option between says the GPS system managed by the Americans and the NAVIC. It's like how dual-SIM slots were introduced by phone makers to enable users to pick multiple service providers,” BK Syngal, former Chairman, Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd, said.

Other industry experts said that it would take a while before the NAVIC could achieve the same accuracy offered by the GPS system. “You need a constellation of 20-30 satellites to offer accurate, pin-pointed navigational service. NAVIC has only 7 satellites now. Even if the technology is different, one would imagine that 7 would not be enough," said an executive of a foreign satellite provider.

More details sought Mobile phone makers and application developers said they would need more details on NAVIC including the process of designing front-end chips that could be embedded in devices to receive the satellite signals.

They feel that it takes some time before something useful is made out. “The accuracy that is promised (below 20 metres) now is way lower than that we are using. It is not sufficient to offer solutions based on accurate positioning of the location,” said Amit Prasad, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of SatNav group, one of the first companies in the country that tapped the navigational services space.

“As a consumer, I would approach it with caution and a bit of scepticism to start with. Not because of what ISRO is capable of but because of those who provide the access, such as telecoms and OEMs. It needs an effort to surmount the hurdles before ensuring a workable system,” said Akkiraju Bhattiprolu, a technology enthusiast.

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