- 5G connectivity signals can function as precise positioning sensors
- Location control can pass from devices to operators
- Company Reports Accuracy Below 10cm Without New Hardware
Californian start-up ZaiNar claims it can provide highly precise location data using existing 5G networks without relying on GPS satellites.
The company says its system works entirely on the network side, extracting detailed location information from the same signals devices already send to stay connected.
It says ZaiNar 5G positioning does not require new chips, firmware updates or cooperation from phone makers.
No more GPS barriers
Unlike traditional 5G positioning techniques that rely on dedicated reference signals, the system uses standard uplink signals that phones and connected devices transmit continuously.
Since these signals are already necessary for connectivity, the positioning process does not increase battery consumption.
The company reports accuracy of less than 10 cm under certain conditions, with coverage extending up to 1.5 km using modest spectral resources.
“The flagship application of 5G is finally here, and it’s not a theory, it’s being deployed,” said Daniel Jacker, CEO and co-founder of ZaiNar.
“We are proving sub-10cm accuracy in real-world deployments in healthcare, construction, logistics, and smart cities applications. This technology transforms 5G from a faster channel into a real infrastructure for physical AI.”
Today’s mobile ecosystems are largely controlled by the operating systems of companies like Apple and Google, which determine whether location signals can be shared with carriers.
In practice, this has limited the ability of network operators to directly offer precise positioning services.
ZaiNar’s approach returns control to the network by treating positioning as a core infrastructure function rather than a handset feature.
If accurate, this change would allow carriers and businesses to access location data from phones, vehicles, robots, and industrial devices without app-level permissions.
The company says this reduces reliance on device manufacturers while increasing the utility of private networks and industrial deployments.
He adds that this technology not only works in digital spaces, but also works in real-world environments.
The company says advanced automation requires constant and precise spatial awareness across many moving objects.
GPS tracking often fails in certain scenarios, which is why governments have collaborated to secure GPS for critical infrastructure.
Vision-based positioning systems rely on clear lines of sight, while Bluetooth-based tracking systems are limited by relatively short operating ranges and signal interference.
The company suggests that 5G networks can fill these gaps by acting as a distributed sensing platform.
Commercial deployments are reported in sectors such as healthcare, logistics, construction and smart cities projects.
If the technology works as described at scale, it could redefine how businesses track phones and industrial devices across private and public networks.
However, wider adoption will likely depend on transparent testing, regulatory clarity and sustained investment from operators.
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