The programme

|User needs and service definition

|GALILEO services

|System architecture

|Programme phases

return to GALILEO Services

Open Service (OS)

Purpose

The GALILEO Open Service provides positioning, velocity and timing information that can be accessed free of direct charge. This service is suitable for mass-market applications, such as in-car navigation and hybridisation with mobile telephones. The timing service is synchronised with UTC when used with receivers in fixed locations. This timing service can be used for applications such as network synchronisation or scientific applications.

Performance and features

The performance objectives in terms of position accuracy and availability will be competitive with respect to existing GNSS and further planned evolutions. In addition, the Open Service will also be interoperable with other GNSS, in order to facilitate the provision of combined services.

Implementation

The Open Service signals are separated in frequency to permit the correction of errors induced by ionospheric effects by differentiation of the ranging measurements made at each frequency. Each navigation frequency will include two ranging code signals (in-phase and quadrature). Data are added to one of the ranging codes while the other "pilot" ranging code is data-less for more precise and robust navigation measurements.