Predicted and Near-Real-Time Ionosphere Products for Consumer Devices

Sudha Vana, Aaron Boda and Vijaykumar Bellad

Abstract:	Consumer devices such as smartphones typically use pseudorange-based positioning for its simplicity and power efficiency, together with the broadcast Klobuchar model for ionospheric delay correction. This combination, though widely used, is often inaccurate and results in poor positioning accuracy. This study evaluates the TruePoint | LITE ionospheric models developed by Rx Networks to enhance global navigation satellite system (GNSS) positioning accuracy in consumer-grade devices. The models assessed include Global near-real-time (NRT), Regional NRT, and predicted ionosphere products. Performance was analyzed in both the total electron content (TEC) and position domains. TEC evaluation used Center for Orbit Determination in Europe (CODE) final global ionospheric maps (GIMs) as reference, while position accuracy was assessed through pseudorange-only processing with globally distributed International GNSS Service (IGS) stations as test clients. Results show substantial improvements over the Global Positioning System (GPS) Klobuchar model. In the TEC domain, the Global NRT model reduced RMS errors by 63% while the predicted model delivered a 42% global improvement. In the position domain, Global NRT improved accuracy by nearly 50% at equatorial stations where ionospheric activity and volatility is strongest. In the China region, the Regional NRT model delivered a 68% improvement at the 95th percentile compared to GPS Klobuchar model. Overall, the study demonstrates that advanced ionospheric models such as TruePoint | LITE NRT and the predicted products can deliver significant accuracy gains for single-frequency, pseudorange-based positioning. By reducing reliance on continuous connectivity and supporting extended offline operation, these solutions address critical challenges of power-constrained, mass-market GNSS applications.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 38th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS+ 2025) September 8 - 12, 2025 Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor Baltimore, Maryland
Pages:	1055 - 1067
Cite this article:	Vana, Sudha, Boda, Aaron, Bellad, Vijaykumar, "Predicted and Near-Real-Time Ionosphere Products for Consumer Devices," Proceedings of the 38th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS+ 2025), Baltimore, Maryland, September 2025, pp. 1055-1067. https://doi.org/10.33012/2025.20271
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