PointPerfect
usage-based plans

The advantages of a usage-based pricing approach with GNSS correction services 

GNSS correction services have become a fundamental ingredient for precise point positioning applications. In today’s GNSS RTK ecosystem, accessing centimeter-level positioning accuracy for applications such as autonomous mobile robotics, precision agriculture, and unmanned aerial vehicles wouldn’t be possible without them.  

One practical consideration users face when accessing correction services is the high operating expenses and lack of flexible plans. Traditional RTK correction services require users to commit to steep subscription fees and rigid contracts. Some service providers may offer 3- or 12-month plans, or even monthly subscriptions, but with flat-rate fees regardless of how frequently you use the service. 

No matter how service providers slice them to appear attractive, these plans pose a substantial financial burden for companies aiming to keep operating costs down, scale their business, and achieve a return on investment. With a subscription-based pricing model, users with seasonal needs or those managing large fleets of devices are left with high fixed operating costs, through upcycles and downturns, which negatively impact bottom-line profitability.    

Is there an alternative path to access GNSS corrections without annual commitments? Yes, there is a way, a much better way. Keep reading if you are tired of rigid, yearly steep subscription fees that don’t benefit your business.

 

*Offer applies to new Thingstream accounts only.

Pricing based on the hours used

To get straight to the point, the cost of RTK corrections can be a significant factor in the operation of high-precision GNSS applications such as autonomous farming equipment or UAV fleet. What figures are we talking about? A typical annual RTK subscription can cost several thousand dollars. This high price is inconvenient and burdensome for users who don’t require continuous or extensive usage. 

But not anymore. u-blox PointPerfect precise positioning service offers unique, flexible, and attractive usage-based pricing plans that enable GNSS correction service users to pay only for what they use.

With PointPerfect’s pricing model, you pay only for the hours your receivers access correction data, with no annual commitments. You can manage your subscriptions on a month-to-month basis; the more hours per month you use, the lower the price per hour. This approach helps users significantly reduce operating costs, improve business ROI, and scale their operations more quickly and easily.

Moreover, PointPerfect offers hourly per-device and hour-sharing ‘pooled’ plans that allow users to pay only for the hours they consume, resulting in substantial cost savings, especially for applications that don’t require continuous service. With PointPerfect, the service is also flexible because there are no commitments, so you can switch between plans as your needs change.

Precision agriculture

Precision agriculture relies on RTK corrections for centimeter-level accuracy in the operation of autonomous farming equipment used to grow and produce the world’s crops. 

Precision agriculture leverages PointPerfect's GNSS corrections to optimize farming practices, especially during critical periods of the year, such as planting and harvesting seasons.

Growers don’t necessarily need correction services year-round; they may only use them during specific seasons, such as a couple of months in spring and several months in autumn. The agriculture industry is particularly cost-sensitive, and farmers have traditionally been averse to costly annual subscriptions. In this scenario, PointPerfect’s usage-based pricing approach becomes highly attractive and practical.  

Robotic lawnmowers

The centimeter-level accuracy provided by correction services ensures that robotic lawnmowers maintain precise boundaries and operate safely within designated areas, delivering consistent and reliable lawn maintenance.

Like precision agriculture, robotic lawnmowers require correction services during specific periods of the year. While users may mow gardens in autumn and winter, the peak mowing periods occur in spring and summer.

For companies operating large fleets of devices, such as robotic lawnmowers, annual per-device plans can represent a high fixed cost for the landscaping business owner, especially during periods of low asset utilization – such as winter, when most of the mowers are idle, awaiting peak usage in summer. 

PointPerfect's hourly pooled plans enable the entire fleet of mowers to share usage hours collectively. With these plans, it no longer matters which mower is used or during which season, as the company only pays for the total shared hours used across the entire fleet. Lower operating expenses equal less to worry about.

Doing the math

To put it in context, let’s compare the two models in realistic scenarios to better understand how users can benefit financially from switching from annual subscriptions to a usage-based pricing approach for GNSS corrections. 

As the table shows, Competitor A and Competitor B services typically have a fixed monthly cost of $50 and $69, respectively. This fee is independent of how many hours you use the service. In contrast, PointPerfect offers a range of hourly plans based on the number of hours you use it. The more hours you use per month, the lower the price per hour. In this example, PointPerfect’s usage-based pricing plans enable a 26-87% reduction in operating costs. 

Click here for a complete PointPerfect pricing list.

The benefits of PointPerfect

1. PointPerfect’s usage-based pricing approach provides an attractive way for users to substantially reduce operating costs by paying only for the hours they use the service. Still, the benefits of the service itself provide a strong foundation for making the case to switch and save.




2. PointPerfect delivers precise, reliable, available, and easy-to-use RTK corrections on a continental scale. It provides centimeter-level accuracy (3-6 cm) in seconds via both internet and L-band satellite signals, with 99.9% uptime availability for various applications.




3. PointPerfect works seamlessly with any GNSS RTK receiver, whether u-blox or non-u-blox, or even a mix within the same fleet. Industry-standard protocols (NTRIP, SPARTN) and data formats (RTCM, MQTT) make it simple to connect any RTK receiver.

Making the switch

Today, it is easier than ever to switch to PointPerfect and quickly scale your business from prototyping to large fleets. 

1. Sign in and create a new PointPerfect Thing in Thingstream platform.
2. Choose the PointPerfect plan that best suits your needs.
3. Provision your GNSS RTK receiver (u-blox or non-u-blox) with an NTRIP or MQTT client. 
4. You’re ready to get started. 

Questions? Need support? Contact us. 

The bottom line

PointPerfect's usage-based pricing plans offer a unique, flexible, and attractive alternative to those expensive annual subscriptions typically offered by GNSS correction service providers. This approach allows you to pay only for the hours you use, without being tied to yearly contracts and lets you change plans whenever you want. Hours can be used by device or pooled together and shared across a large fleet. 

With PointPerfect, you can lower your operating expenses, improve your bottom line, and scale your business more easily. The choice is yours.