Communication security/ GLONASS full global coverage

The US Federal Communications Commission is considering a plan to route 911 emergency location calls through a Russian satellite system, The Washington Times said on Wednesday.

In a proposal before the commission, the US emergency system would rely on Russia's GLONASS precision navigation and timing satellite system to locate people calling 911 from their mobile phones, the newspaper reported. Russian GLONASS is said to be more accurate than its American counterpart, GPS, which does not cover enough territory.

The idea has raised national security concerns among some members of the US Congress who claimed that if the plan was enacted, Russia might have the ability to impair America’s 911 capabilities and could use it as a tool to spy on the whereabouts of first responders and others, the newspaper said.

National security concerns as US eyes Russian satellites to route emergency call system