Since mid January 2006 Leica Geosystems’ SmartNet service is live and available as a broadcast correction service to subscribers via GSM or GPRS technology in Great Britain. The service is a partnership between Leica Geosystems and Ordnance Survey.

GPS first became a viable tool for Topographic Surveys, GIS and Engineering applications in the early 1990’s, with the completion of the Navstar satellite constellation. The breakthrough to high precision solutions came with the expense of needing access to two GPS receivers; a reference and a rover. Without this configuration, accuracy is at around 10 metres, of variable quality and uncertain reliability.

Now there is a genuine breakthrough which means that we no longer require the use of multiple GPS receivers. Announced December 20th 2005, Great Britain will have the first commercially available broadcast RTK network, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, Leica SmartNet. ‘Now, one receiver is all you need. Of critical importance is the continuous datum afforded by SmartNet – you can work at full precision, in OS Grid, as soon as you turn the receiver on, anywhere in the country – or work in a new or existing local grid as before.’ says Leica Geosystems’ Simon Mears.

SmartNet is based on raw data from the Ordnance Survey network of GPS base stations. This network, known as OS Net, comprises around 90 permanent nationally deployed GPS reference stations, however OS Net is commercially available only via partners.

Open to all, whichever GPS you own
Since mid January 2006 Leica Geosystems’ SmartNet service is live and available as a broadcast correction service to subscribers via GSM or GPRS technology.

SmartNet is available to anyone with any make of GPS receiver that can accept RTK or DGPS corrections broadcast by GSM or GPRS. So whether you own a Leica Geosystems or another make of GPS receiver you are able to gain access to the service.

The Network
Leica SmartNet is enabled by the network of Ordnance Survey base stations to create a high density, high redundancy network which is able to deliver corrections at the centimetre level in RTK mode or sub-metre DGPS and with raw data for post processing.

Data from each of these base stations around the country is received over the Internet at a highly secure location in London Docklands where it is processed using Leica SpiderNet, Leica Geosystems advanced network calculation software, and made available to users when they dial up or log in.

Just register a SIM card and you’re away!
To take out an annual subscription, all you have to do is register a SIM card with Leica SmartNet, and then you can begin real-time precision RTK GPS or DGPS survey. No longer surveyors have to set up base stations in secure compounds, atop site huts or stand guard over them whilst the rover collects the positions.

A new era has indeed begun. During February Leica Geosystems will be holding a series of roadshows to present the new service Leica SmartNet to potential users. As with all new services you can expect very good offers for early adopters. Don’t miss out!

About Leica Geosystems Surveying & Engineering Division
Leica Geosystems’ Surveying & Engineering Division provides solutions for positioning and data capture for Surveying, Civil Engineering, Construction and Mining industry segments. With its leading edge technologies included in Totalstation, GPS, Levelling and Machine Automation it has established itself as a leading solutions provider into the spatial information industry. The Surveying & Engineering Division is the largest division within Leica Geosystems, contributing more than 60% of the company’s annual revenue.

Leica Geosystems – when it has to be right
With close to 200 years of pioneering solutions to measure the world, Leica Geosystems products and services are trusted by professionals worldwide to help them capture, analyze, and present spatial information. Leica Geosystems is best known for its broad array of products that capture accurately, model quickly, analyze easily, and visualize and present spatial information even in 3D. Those who use Leica products every day trust them for their dependability, the value they deliver, and the superior customer support. Based in Switzerland, Leica Geosystems is a global company with tens of thousands of customers supported by more than 2,400 employees in 21 countries and hundreds of partners located in more than 120 countries around the world.