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FCC: All Mobile Phones Will Require GPS Radios Starting in 2018

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The FCC has recently mandated that all manufacturers and mobile phone providers must provide GPS radios inside all of their phones – smartphones and feature phones alike – starting in 2018. The move will help North America move toward the e911 future that we could all use.

We imagine there are many instances where an emergency call needs to be placed but the caller is too hysterical or doesn’t have enough time to get the address out. Using GPS, this will help the dispatcher find your location easier.

This has been implemented in many police districts around the country (and world) but the FCC wants this to become mandatory. We can’t say we’re opposed. This may not mean much for us smartphone users, but you never know when an OEM might produce an Android phone without GPS. Just a heads up for you all. [via TechCrunch]

Quentyn Kennemer
The "Google Phone" sounded too awesome to pass up, so I bought a G1. The rest is history. And yes, I know my name isn't Wilson.

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13 Comments

  1. Just as long as the requirement becomes GPS and not the crappy A-GPS!

  2. Oh this is bad news for our drug dealers that use throw away pre-paid phones.

    1. I’m sure they’ll use Android phones with a custom “ImADrugDealer” rom that disables the GPS.

      1. lol!

  3. Translation: We want to know exactly where you all are.

    1. That’s exactly what I was thinking. +1

  4. Yeah big brother wants to spy on us the reason I have a Sam club size aluminum foil cause I don’t need big brother to find out where I get my pot

  5. The government will use the capabilitiies in the name of drug dealing but their use won’t stop there. Warrantless wiretaps were not enough–just like gropedowns at airports were not enough. Now you can’t even go to an NFL game without someone grabbing your giblets. Is it 1984 already? Welcome to the police state slaves! Submitted this to DrudgeReport.

  6. the govt already knows where we are and what porn we watch, its nothing new….now at least if i have a heart attack while masturbating, the ambulance will get there in time, lol

  7. Cue the foil hat crowd. As usual, your life isn’t as interesting as you might think it is. Get over it. No one cares where you are.

  8. I thought this was already a requirement since 9/11…?

    Every crappy pre-paid phone I’ve had before I got my Droid 2 has had a gps radio in it only usable by 911.

  9. damn, i wanted to say inb4 retarded conspiracy theorists but i was too late.

  10. Big Brother.

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