Thread

1. autoexec · 1790188120 · focus · HN ↗

   > Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said daily lives depend on satellites that power everyday technologies like mobile phones and banking apps, adding the loss of GPS would cost the UK economy £1.4bn a day.

   Oh no! Not our precious banking apps! What a weird thing to call out specifically. It's also kind of strange to talk at such length about how critical satellites have become to people's lives, national economy, emergency services, and people's "daily freedoms", only to conclude with "So now we're using ground-based systems to take out the satellites other countries depend on for all of those things"

   1. tene80i · 1790188379 · focus · HN ↗

      Why is it strange? Millions of people use banking apps daily to make transactions essential to their lives and businesses.

      1. boredatoms · 1790188468 · focus · HN ↗

         Why does a banking app require GPS?

         1. nickweb · 1790188604 · focus · HN ↗

            GPS relies on very very accurate timing. I would wager that the timing side of GPS is used more than the positioning side - but I have no way of confirming that.

            Accurate timing is needed for banks accepting/sending payments (not just £5 for the window cleaner - more billions flowing every day).

            1. O3marchnative · 1790188957 · focus · HN ↗

               That makes the issue worse as the actual app/device likely just relies on querying some NTP pool for accurate time. Then that would mean the actual stratum 1 servers are not working right.
            2. ChocolateGod · 1790189019 · focus · HN ↗

               I wouldn't be surprised if financial institutions use GPS for time keeping.

               It's more accurate than getting it from a NTP pool.

Unofficial Hacker News client; not affiliated with Y Combinator.