Concept · RTK Infrastructure
GEODNET is the world's largest decentralized GNSS reference station network, delivering centimetre-accurate RTK corrections to any device, anywhere on Earth. Understanding how it works helps you get the most from any correction service built on it.
On this page
GEODNET — short for Global Earth Observation Decentralized Network — is a worldwide network of GNSS reference stations that continuously receive satellite signals and stream correction data over the internet. Any RTK receiver with an internet connection can tap into this data to achieve centimetre-level positioning accuracy without needing its own base station.
Unlike traditional government-run networks (such as the US CORS network or the European EUREF network), GEODNET is built and operated by a community of individual station owners distributed across the globe. This model allows rapid expansion and dense coverage at a fraction of the cost of conventional infrastructure.
RTK corrections flow from satellite to your rover through a chain of components. Here is how each step works inside the GEODNET system:
What RTCM3 means for you
RTCM3 is the correction data format used by virtually every modern RTK receiver. If your device supports NTRIP, it supports RTCM3 — which means it works with GEODNET-based correction services without any special configuration.
GEODNET has grown faster than any previous GNSS reference network. Coverage is particularly dense in North America, Europe, East Asia and Australia, with rapid expansion across South America, Africa and the Middle East.
| Region | Coverage | Station density |
|---|---|---|
| Western Europe | Excellent | Stations typically 20–50 km apart |
| Netherlands | Excellent | Among the densest coverage in Europe |
| North America | Excellent | Dense in urban and agricultural areas |
| East Asia | Very good | Strong in Japan, South Korea, China |
| Australia | Good | Urban and coastal areas well-covered |
| South America | Growing | Major cities and agricultural zones |
| Africa / Middle East | Growing | Expanding rapidly |
Traditional CORS networks are built and operated by governments or large organisations. They require significant capital investment, lengthy planning processes and centralised maintenance teams. GEODNET takes a different approach.
Individual station owners — surveyors, farmers, technology enthusiasts, businesses — purchase reference station hardware and install it at their location. The station connects to the internet and streams data to the GEODNET network automatically. Station owners receive compensation for their contribution, creating an economic incentive that drives rapid network expansion.
Why this matters for coverage
Because anyone can add a station, GEODNET expands into areas where government networks have not reached. A farmer in rural Poland or a surveyor in rural Brazil can install a station and simultaneously improve local coverage while contributing to the global network.
RTKsub is a correction service built on GEODNET infrastructure. When you connect your device to RTKsub's NTRIP server, you are receiving corrections derived from GEODNET reference stations — the same global network, delivered through RTKsub's connection management, mountpoint selection and customer support.
One subscription, global coverage
A single RTKsub subscription gives you access to GEODNET corrections wherever coverage exists — not just in the Netherlands. If you work internationally, your credentials work in any country where GEODNET has stations.