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GNSS Simulation

GNSS Simulation is the process of generating artificial signals that mimic those from a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), such as GPS, GLONASS, or Galileo. Instead of relying on real satellite signals, which can be inconsistent or unavailable, testers use a specialized tool to create a controlled and repeatable environment. This allows them to test location-based applications under a wide variety of conditions, such as different geographical locations, varying signal strengths, and even simulating movement, all from a lab or office.

Example: A mobile banking app has a security feature that locks a user's account if a login attempt is made from a country they have not visited before. A quality assurance team needs to test this feature without physically traveling. They would use GNSS simulation to:

  1. Simulate a normal login: They would generate a GPS signal for a user's home country to ensure the login is successful.
  2. Simulate an unauthorized login: They would then change the simulated GPS signal to a country the user has never been to. The test would verify that the app correctly detects this location change and either blocks the login or prompts the user for additional verification, confirming the security feature works as designed.