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Nasdaq GPS Antenna Removal Deadline Extension

Favicon for www.regulations.gov Regs.gov: Securities and Exchange Commission
Published March 27th, 2026
Detected April 1st, 2026
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Summary

The SEC published Nasdaq's proposed rule change to extend the deadline for removing dedicated GPS antennas from co-location services at the Carteret, NJ data center. The original compliance date of April 1, 2026 would be extended to allow existing customers additional time. The Exchange filed SR-NASDAQ-2026-019 on March 19, 2026, and the SEC is soliciting public comments on the proposal.

What changed

Nasdaq filed a proposed rule change to extend the date by which existing co-location customers must remove dedicated GPS antennas at the NY 11 data center in Carteret, NJ. The Exchange previously designated April 1, 2026 as the termination date for dedicated GPS antenna service, but now seeks to extend this deadline to accommodate customers transitioning to shared GPS antenna service. The filing is designated SR-NASDAQ-2026-019 and relates to General 8, Section 1(d) governing co-location services.

Exchange members and co-location customers with dedicated GPS antennas should review the proposal and submit comments to the SEC by the specified deadline. Affected firms currently using dedicated GPS service at Carteret should monitor for updates as the proposal moves through the approval process. The new deadline date will be established once the SEC approves the extension.

What to do next

  1. Review the proposed rule change SR-NASDAQ-2026-019 regarding GPS antenna removal extension
  2. Submit public comments to the SEC if your firm uses dedicated GPS antenna services at Nasdaq co-location facilities
  3. Monitor for SEC approval of the extended deadline once the comment period closes

Source document (simplified)

Content

March 27, 2026. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”), (1) and Rule 19b-4 thereunder, (2) notice is hereby given that on March 19, 2026, The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq” or “Exchange”) filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission (“SEC” or “Commission”) the proposed rule change as described in Items I, II, and III, below, which
Items have been prepared by the Exchange. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule
change from interested persons.

I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change

The Exchange proposes to extend the designated date by which service for existing customers with a dedicated GPS antenna under
General 8, Section 1(d) (Co-Location Services) will terminate and all dedicated GPS antennas must be removed, as described
further below.

The text of the proposed rule change is available on the Exchange's website at https://listingcenter.nasdaq.com/rulebook/nasdaq/rulefilings, and at the principal office of the Exchange.

II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

In its filing with the Commission, the Exchange included statements concerning the purpose of and basis for the proposed rule
change and discussed any comments it received on the proposed rule change. The text of these statements may be examined at
the places specified in Item IV below. The Exchange has prepared summaries, set forth in sections A, B, and C below, of the
most significant aspects of such statements.

A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

1. Purpose

The Exchange offers a Global Positioning System (“GPS”) antenna service, which allows customers that co-locate their servers
and equipment within the Exchange's original data center (“NY 11”) in Carteret, NJ to synchronize their time recording systems
to the U.S. Government's GPS network time (the “Service”). GPS network time is the atomic time scale implemented by the atomic
clocks in the GPS ground control stations and GPS satellites. Each GPS satellite contains multiple atomic clocks that contribute
precise time data to the GPS signals. GPS receivers decode these signals, synchronizing the receivers to the atomic clocks.
A GPS antenna serves as a time signal receiver and feeds a primary clock device the GPS network time using precise time data.
Firms can use the precise time data provided by the GPS antenna to time-stamp transactional information. Time synchronization
services are well established in the U.S. and utilized in many areas of the U.S. economy and infrastructure. The Service is
not novel to the securities markets, or to the Exchange.

Historically, the Exchange has offered connectivity to a GPS antenna via two options: over shared infrastructure or a dedicated
antenna. (3)

Fees for such GPS antenna services are as follows. The installation fee for the shared connection is $900, and the monthly
fee for that service is $600. (4) The installation fee for existing clients of the dedicated GPS antenna is $1,500 and the monthly fee for that service is $600. (5)

The Exchange previously submitted a filing to terminate the dedicated GPS antenna option and associated fee and designate
April 1, 2026, as the date by which the dedicated GPS antenna service would be terminated and all dedicated GPS antennas would
be required to be removed. (6) Pursuant to that proposal, the Service for existing customers with a dedicated GPS antenna will terminate as of April 1, 2026,
and all dedicated GPS antennas must be removed by such date. (7) Customers that want to continue to use the Service can request the shared GPS antenna service.

For the reasons discussed below, the Exchange now proposes to designate a longer period of time for termination of the dedicated
GPS antenna service and associated fee. Specifically, the Exchange proposes to designate April 30, 2026, as the new date by
which such dedicated GPS antenna service will be terminated and all dedicated GPS antennas must be removed. As proposed, the
Exchange would continue to assess and charge existing customers of the dedicated GPS antenna service the established recurring
monthly fee of $600.00 (8) for that service until April 30, 2026, (9) prorating such fees as appropriate. The Exchange would not charge customers the established installation fee for such service
during the proposed extension period because as of September 30, 2025, the Exchange no longer permits new orders for the

  dedicated GPS antenna service. [(10)]() Continuing with the service until the proposed designated termination date is voluntary, and customers are free to terminate
  the dedicated GPS antenna service at any time before the proposed extension date.

As background, the Exchange had initially scheduled to complete all installations for the new shared GPS network by March
1, 2026. This timing would have provided clients with sufficient time to test the new shared GPS network environment before
termination of their dedicated GPS antenna on April 1, 2026, the previously established dedicated GPS antenna service termination
date. Due to delays in receipt of the necessary infrastructure to support the newly robust shared GPS network, however, the
completion date for the new shared GPS antenna offering has changed. The new completion date for that service is now March
27, 2026.

The Exchange believes that extending the designated termination date for the dedicated GPS antenna service to April 30, 2026,
would allow the Exchange sufficient time to complete installation of the new shared GPS network without reducing the time
available for clients to test the new shared GPS environment before their dedicated GPS network is terminated, thus supporting
a more coordinated and orderly transition for one GPS service to another.

Currently, approximately 49% of the Exchange's co-location customers subscribe to the Service, most of which have opted for
the shared GPS antenna option. The Service is an optional product available to any firm that chooses to subscribe. Firms may
cancel their subscription at any time. The Service simply provides time synchronization that may be utilized by firms to adjust
their own time systems and time-stamp transactional information. The GPS antenna service is offered on a completely voluntary
basis. No customer is required to purchase the GPS antenna. Potential subscribers may subscribe to the Service only if they
voluntarily choose to do so. It is a business decision of each firm whether to subscribe to the Service or not. Customers
do not receive an advantage by purchasing the Service from Nasdaq; the Exchange is merely providing access to GPS signals.

2. Statutory Basis

The Exchange believes that its proposal is consistent with Section 6(b) of the Act, (11) in general, and furthers the objectives of Sections 6(b)(4) and 6(b)(5) of the Act, (12) in particular, in that it provides for the equitable allocation of reasonable dues, fees and other charges among members and
issuers and other persons using any facility, and is not designed to permit unfair discrimination between customers, issuers,
brokers, or dealers.

The Exchange's proposed change to its connectivity service offering is reasonable in several respects. As a threshold matter,
the Exchange is subject to significant competitive forces in the market for equity securities transaction services that constrain
its pricing determinations in that market. The fact that this market is competitive has long been recognized by the courts.
In NetCoalition v. Securities and Exchange Commission, the D.C. Circuit stated as follows: “[n]o one disputes that competition for order flow is fierce.' . . . As the SEC explained,
[i]n the U.S. national market system, buyers and sellers of securities, and the broker-dealers that act as their order-routing
agents, have a wide range of choices of where to route orders for execution'; [and] no exchange can afford to take its market
share percentages for granted' because
no exchange possesses a monopoly, regulatory or otherwise, in the execution of order
flow from broker dealers'. . . .” (13)

The Commission and the courts have repeatedly expressed their preference for competition over regulatory intervention in determining
prices, products, and services in the securities markets. In Regulation NMS, while adopting a series of steps to improve the
current market model, the Commission highlighted the importance of market forces in determining prices and SRO revenues and,
also, recognized that current regulation of the market system “has been remarkably successful in promoting market competition
in its broader forms that are most important to investors and listed companies.” (14)

As discussed above, approximately 49% of the Exchange's co-location customers subscribe to the Service and most of them have
opted to subscribe and migrate to the shared antenna.

The Exchange believes that it is reasonable to extend the time designated for terminating the shared GPS service (and removing
all dedicated GPS antennas) from the currently scheduled date of April 1, 2026, (15) to April 30, 2026 to facilitate the orderly transition for customers that have opted to migrate to the Exchange's new, robust
shared GPS service. As discussed above, the Exchange has encountered delays in obtaining the infrastructure necessary to support
the new and robust shared GPS antenna service, such that the new projected completion date for that service has moved from
March 1, 2026, to March 27, 2026.

As noted above, approximately 49% of the Exchange's co-location customers subscribe to the Service, and most of them have
opted for the shared antenna GPS service. Were the Exchange to terminate the dedicated GPS antenna service as scheduled on
April 1, 2026, those dedicated GPS colocation customers who have elected to migrate to the new robust shared GPS service would
have a reduced window of time for testing the new shared GPS service before termination of their dedicated GPS takes effect.
Thus, the Exchange believes that extending the designated termination date for the dedicated GPS service to April 30, 2026,
as proposed, would allow for a more coordinated and orderly transition for clients who have elected to migrate from one GPS
service to the other. Continuing with the service until the proposed extended termination date of April 30, 2026, however,
is voluntary, and customers are free to terminate their dedicated GPS antenna service at any time before the proposed extension
date.

B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change will impose any burden on competition not necessary or appropriate
in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. Nothing in the proposal imposes any burden on the ability of customers or other
exchanges to compete. The Exchange operates in a highly competitive market in which exchanges and other vendors offer co-location
services as a means to facilitate the trading and other market activities of those market participants who believe that co-location
enhances the efficiency of their operations. Extending the designated time for terminating the dedicated GPS antenna services
and for removal of all dedicated GPS antennas, as proposed, will not cause any burden on inter-market competition. Additionally,
there is no burden to intra-market competition because the direct GPS antenna service is ultimately

  being terminated for all customers. The Exchange is merely proposing to extend the designated time for the termination of
  the dedicated GPS service and removal of all dedicated GPS antennas, which would provide all customers with the same timeline
  for terminating or converting to the shared GPS antenna service on a non-discriminatory basis. Continuing with the service
  until the proposed extended termination date of April 30, 2026, however, is voluntary, and customers are free to terminate
  their dedicated GPS antenna service at any time before the proposed extension date. Use of any co-location service is completely
  voluntary, and each market participant can determine whether to use co-location services based on the requirements of its
  business operations.

The purpose of this proposal is to extend the designated date for termination of the GPS dedicated antenna service (and removal
of all dedicated GPS antennas) from April 1, 2026, as previously scheduled, (16) to April 30, 2026, and to inform the Commission and market participants of that change. The removal of the Exchange's dedicated
GPS antenna service under Rule General 8, Section 1(d) was proposed in a previous rule filing that was submitted to the SEC, (17) and the Exchange is not proposing in this filing any changes to that filing other than to modify the designated date for the
termination of the dedicated GPS antenna service and associated fee and the removal of all dedicated GPS antennas. The Exchange
is extending that termination date to April 30, 2026, in light of delays associated with the completion of the new shared
GPS antenna offering, and in order to provide customers who have opted for the shared GPS antenna service with sufficient
time to test that service before termination of their dedicated GPS antenna service takes effect on April 30, 2026, as proposed.
As discussed above, continuation of that service until the proposed extended termination date of April 30, 2026, is voluntary,
and customers are free to terminate their dedicated GPS antenna service at any time before the proposed extension date.

C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or

Others

No written comments were either solicited or received.

III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for Commission Action

The foregoing rule change has become effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(ii) of the Act. (18)

At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule change, the Commission summarily may temporarily suspend such
rule change if it appears to the Commission that such action is: (i) necessary or appropriate in the public interest; (ii)
for the protection of investors; or (iii) otherwise in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. If the Commission takes such
action, the Commission shall institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule should be approved or disapproved.

IV. Solicitation of Comments

Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views and arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the
proposed rule change is consistent with the Act. Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:

Electronic Comments

• Use the Commission's internet comment form (https://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml); or

• Send an email to rule-comments@sec.gov. Please include file number SR-NASDAQ-2026-019 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

  • Send paper comments in triplicate to Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549-1090. All submissions should refer to file number SR-NASDAQ-2026-019. This file number should be included on the subject line if email is used. To help the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently, please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on the Commission's internet website (https://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the filing will be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of the Exchange. Do not include personal identifiable information in submissions; you should submit only information that you wish to make available publicly. We may redact in part or withhold entirely from publication submitted material that is obscene or subject to copyright protection. All submissions should refer to file number SR-NASDAQ-2026-019 and should be submitted on or before April 22, 2026.

For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority. (19)

Sherry R. Haywood, Assistant Secretary. [FR Doc. 2026-06249 Filed 3-31-26; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8011-01-P

Footnotes

(1) 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).

(2) 17 CFR 240.19b-4.

(3) The shared infrastructure provides GPS services through Nasdaq-installed shared cables and hardware located within the data
center, whereas the dedicated antenna requires the firm to supply their own privately owned antenna hardware. The dedicated
GPS antenna service was made available only in the Exchange's original data center hall, NY11. As discussed in this proposal,
on September 30, 2025, the Exchange filed to terminate the dedicated GPS antenna service and associated fees. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 104203 (Nov. 18, 2025), 90 FR 52776 (Nov. 21, 2025) (SR-NASDAQ-2025-086). By contrast,
the shared GPS antenna service is available in the NY11, as well as the Exchange's extension area (NY11-4) and its future
extension area (NY11-5).

(4) See Rule General 8, Section 1(d).

(5) See SR-NASDAQ-2025-086, supra note 3. Firms may choose to purchase multiple time synchronization Services for resiliency or otherwise. The Exchange offers
the Service as a convenience to firms to provide them with the ability to synchronize their own primary clock devices to GPS
time via a shared GPS timing signal and time-stamp transactional information. Firms do not receive an advantage by purchasing
the service. See id.

(6) See SR-NASDAQ-2025-086 supra note 3.

(7) See SR-NASDAQ-2025-086 supra note 3. As further discussed in that filing, the decision to remove the dedicated GPS antenna service option is consistent
with the Exchange's project to equalize certain connections across its entire data center campus, including both its existing
NY11 facility and the NY11-4 expansion area (the “Equalization Project”) and maintain adequate controls of all cables that
run throughout the data center. See Securities and Exchange Act Release No. 34-101078 (Sep. 18, 2024), 89 FR 77937 (Sep. 24, 2024) (SR-NASDAQ-2024-054) (“Co-Location
Expansion Proposal”). In accordance with the Equalization Project's goal of ensuring that customers do not bypass the integrity
of the equalized connections maintained throughout the data center, the Exchange is no longer allowing customers to order
dedicated GPS antenna service as of September 30, 2025. See SR-NASDAQ-2025-086 supra note 3.

(8) As discussed above, fees for the dedicated GPS service consist of an installation fee of $1,500 and an ongoing monthly fee
of $600.00. See SR-NASDAQ-2025-086, supra note 3.

(9) The Exchange is proposing to charge only the ongoing monthly fee of $600.00 until April 30, 2026, prorating such fees as
appropriate. As discussed in this proposal, the Exchange is not proposing to charge such customers the established installation
fee during the proposed extension period.

(10) The Exchange is not proposing to assess the installation fee of $1,500 for that period because, as of September 30, 2025,
new orders for dedicated GPS antenna service are not permitted. See SR-NASDAQ-2025-086) supra note 3.

(11) 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).

(12) 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4) and (5).

(13) NetCoalition v. SEC, 615 F.3d 525, 539 (D.C. Cir. 2010) (quoting Securities Exchange Act Release No. 59039 (December 2, 2008), 73 FR 74770, 74782-83
(December 9, 2008) (SR-NYSEArca-2006-21)).

(14) Securities Exchange Act Release No. 51808 (June 9, 2005), 70 FR 37496, 37499 (June 29, 2005) (“Regulation NMS Adopting Release”).

(15) See SR-NASDAQ-2025-086, supr a note 3.

(16) See SR-NASDAQ-2025-086, supr a note 3.

(17) See SR-NASDAQ-2025-086, supr a note 3.

(18) 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii).

(19) 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).

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CFR references

17 CFR 240.19b-4

Named provisions

General 8, Section 1(d) - Co-Location Services Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Classification

Agency
SEC
Published
March 27th, 2026
Comment period closes
April 16th, 2026 (15 days)
Instrument
Consultation
Legal weight
Non-binding
Stage
Consultation
Change scope
Minor
Document ID
SR-NASDAQ-2026-019
Docket
SEC-2026-1989-0001
Supersedes
SR-NASDAQ-2025-XXX (April 1, 2026 designated removal date)

Who this affects

Applies to
Broker-dealers Financial advisers Investors
Industry sector
5231 Securities & Investments
Activity scope
Exchange Co-Location Services GPS Antenna Services
Threshold
Co-location customers with dedicated GPS antennas at Nasdaq NY 11 data center in Carteret, NJ
Geographic scope
United States US

Taxonomy

Primary area
Securities
Operational domain
Compliance
Topics
Exchange Operations Co-Location Services

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