The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) is sharpening its focus on developing the Broadcast Positioning System™ (BPS) as a timing service and then progressing it into full positioning, navigation and timing (PNT). NAB is proposing BPS as a complementary terrestrial service to GPS.
One sign of NAB’s emphasis on BPS, NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt said, is the recent appointment of Sam Matheny and Tariq Mondal as executive vice president and vice president, Broadcast Positioning System, respectively. Matheny, former NAB CTO, and Mondal, former NAB vice president for advanced technology, were key to the development of BPS.
These moves come about a year after BPS stability was declared “comparable to or better than GNSS” for time transfer and a “viable complementary PNT solution” by scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in a peer reviewed paper presented at the Institute of Navigation (ION) International Technical Meeting. In August 2025, NAB was awarded a contract from the Department of Transportation (DOT) for a field trial of BPS with critical infrastructure partner Dominion Energy.
Wanting “speed and efficacy,” LeGeyt said Matheny and Mondal’s new, more focused roles will accelerate continued development of BPS and use cases adding to the many ways broadcasters bring value to the nation with their allocated spectrum.
BPS and NextGen TV
BPS signals can be transmitted as part of television broadcasts from stations that have transitioned to the NextGen TV standard, ATSC 3.0.
While almost 80% of Americans are already served by at least one station broadcasting the new standard, the industry is urging a uniform and comprehensive technology transition. BPS is just one of the new services that can be enabled by such a transition.
“BPS will certainly benefit the public,” LeGeyt said. “It also demonstrates that ATSC 3.0 enables data services embedded with TV broadcasts that go well beyond traditional linear video and audio.”
In early 2025, NAB petitioned the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to facilitate a complete transition to ATSC 3.0. NAB proposed stations in the top 55 U.S. markets could transition to the new standard by 2028, and the remainder by 2030. After receiving numerous comments, on October 28, 2025, the FCC voted unanimously to approve a Notice of Proposed Rule Making. The Notice seeks comment on a variety of issues, including transition dates and schedules. Initial comments were due on January 20, with reply comments due on February 18.
System of Systems
It will take more than one solution to backup GPS, and LeGeyt said “NAB and BPS want to be part of that system of systems approach.”
“BPS is a great innovation that leverages existing spectrum and physical infrastructure,” LeGeyt said. “But it is not a silver bullet. Providing a utility-level national complement and backup for GPS will require at least a couple of systems. Depending on the application, some users will still want to supplement what is provided nationwide, just as they do now with GPS.”
Public Service, Collaboration, Leadership
Broadcasters use public airways and have long been custodians of public trust, LeGeyt said. The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and serving as first informers in times of crisis are examples of the public services they provide. NAB envisions timing and PNT from BPS as another public service that will continue their legacy of service to the nation.
Moving forward, LeGeyt also sees opportunities for NAB to coordinate and lead on PNT resilience more generally. “As an industry nonprofit, NAB regularly works with other trade associations, Congress, the executive branch and industries to balance competing interests.”
He believes this positions NAB well to support the government implementing a minimal resilient national PNT architecture. “We would be happy to bring our experience and expertise to bear in some capacity,” LeGeyt added.
Yet, implementing any kind of scheme to complement and backup GPS won’t be effortless or cost free.
“While establishing BPS nationwide and other terrestrial systems could be relatively inexpensive, it won’t be free,” LeGeyt said. “We are eager to help the government get the bullseye off GPS and make the nation safer. We are looking forward to the administration’s leadership on this issue.”
