In Finland, the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom is responsible for monitoring the use of the wireless communications and radio network frequencies as well as investigating radio interference including satellite navigation services. The Agency has good capabilities throughout Finland to detect and locate signals that may interfere with satellite positioning, and a comprehensive situational picture of interference on land, at sea and in the air.
Accurate time and location information provided by satellite navigation services is widely used in our society. Location information is used in all modes of transport, among other things, and time information is used in the financing sector as well as energy and telecommunications networks for synchronisation, for example. As for the different mobile and smart applications, they offer their users a wide range of location-specific entertainment services. Due to the importance and wide variety of uses, there is widespread interest in possible interference. For this reason, the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency monitors the functioning of satellite navigation services in Finland carefully and takes measures to react to potential interference whenever possible.
Traficom is responsible for the monitoring and investigation of interference in the GNSS frequencies in Finland
Traficom monitors the GNSS frequencies at the national level throughout Finland. The Agency has its own capabilities, in addition to which it uses the GNSS Finland service implemented by the Finnish Geospatial Research Institute FGI of the National Land Survey of Finland (NLS); it was commissioned and funded by Traficom for monitoring the signal quality of GNSS services. This means that Traficom is capable of monitoring the functioning of the GNSS frequencies throughout Finland and can even detect sources of interference with very low power everywhere in the country.
For example, Traficom regularly detects and identifies illegal low-powered jammers throughout Finland; they are typically used in vehicles to disguise their location. When observations are repeated, they are located and removed; if necessary, measures are taken in cooperation with the police. The Agency is also easily capable of detecting interference signals coming from the air or space within Finland as well as any interference signals that may occur in the sea area of the Gulf of Finland. The Agency has a comprehensive view of interference signals in satellite navigation frequencies at the national level, which establishes a solid foundation for the removal of sources of satellite navigation interference in Finland. The jurisdiction of the Agency does not make it possible to remove the sources of interference if the source is located outside Finland. GPS interference in aviation is an example of interference that has been occurring for years all over the world in the vicinity of conflict zones. The situation as well as potential solutions have been widely discussed at the international level between both frequency administrations as well as aviation organisations.
In addition to its official role in communications, the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom also acts as the transport safety authority and reacts to the interference detected in this role, too. The Agency may instruct transport operators if the situation involving interference changes. This makes it possible to prepare better for the changed situation. Methods used in connection with different kinds of interference include notices for aviation operators, or NOTAM in aviation, and navigational warnings in navigation. In addition, the Agency has provided information on preparing for interference in case of risk. Disruptions in technological systems are always possible and it is good to prepare for them wherever they are used, especially if the technological systems are essential for the operations.
Previous news by Traficom on GNNS interference
Further information
Traficom’s media hotline, tel. +358 29 534 5648