In order to improve resilience and reliability and guarantee continuous operations in the event of any outages or service constraints, governments worldwide are asking critical infrastructure operators to use alternate time sources in addition to GNSS. The TimeProvider 4500 v3 grandmaster clock (TP4500), which is intended to provide sub-nanosecond accuracy for time distribution across 800 km long-haul optical transmission, has been released by Microchip Technology.
Critical infrastructure operators now have the complementing Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) that the industry has been waiting for thanks to this creative solution.
In the event that Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are not available, the TP4500 offers a reliable terrestrial option for accurate time, reducing the expenses associated with GNSS-dependent deployments related to physical blockage, security, and signal interference.
Key Features of the TimeProvider® 4500 v3 grandmaster clock (TP4500) Series:
- Sub-nanosecond accuracy: Delivers 5 ns time delay over long distances up to 800 km Terrestrial alternative to GNSS: Enables critical infrastructure to operate with resilient synchronization mechanisms independent of GNSS
- Seamless integration: Standards-based terrestrial network for time transfer, easily integrated with off-the-shelf small form-factor pluggable and existing Ethernet and optical deployments
- Exclusive capability: Premium software features available only on the TP4500 v3, integrating Microchip’s PolarFire® FPGA and Azurite synthesizer for unmatched precision
The TP4500 allows extremely reliable synchronization without the need for GNSS, which is necessary for the majority of current deployments at grandmaster sites.
The TP4500 is the first grandmaster to offer a premium capability that delivers High Accuracy Time Transfer (HA-TT) as defined by ITU-T G.8271.1/Y.1366.1 (01/2024) to meet 5 nanoseconds (ns) time delay over 800 km (equivalent to 500 picoseconds (ps) average per node, assuming 10 nodes), setting a new industry standard for accuracy.
An end-to-end architecture known as virtual PRTC (vPRTC), which may provide PRTC accuracy over a long-distance optical network, can be formed by configuring the TP4500 system in a variety of operation modes.
vPRTC is a carrier-grade architecture that has been extensively used in operator networks worldwide for the terrestrial deployment of HA-TT. Compared to other alternative PNT methods that have not yet been widely adopted into critical infrastructure networks, have low Technology Readiness Levels (TRL), and are still reliant on GNSS as the primary source of time, HA-TT is a tried-and-true and economical method.
A crucial step toward supporting the ITU-T G.8272.2 standard, which defines a coherent network reference time clock (cnPRTC) in amendment 2 (2024), is TimeProvider 4500 v3. Throughout a telecom network, a cnPRTC design guarantees extremely precise, durable, and resilient timekeeping. This enables consistent, network-wide ePRTC time accuracy even in the event of regional or network-wide GNSS outages or other disruptions.
The TP4500 grandmaster is designed for telecom, utilities, government, defense, and transportation. It guarantees accurate and reliable time where it counts most. Operators now have a scalable option for safe and dependable time distribution across vast distances thanks to this most recent edition.
The TP4500 is the newest product to join Microchip’s portfolio of IEEE-1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP) grandmaster clocks, which provide industry-leading performance and value. These field-proven solutions scale from low-density indoor applications to high-capacity 5G network timing requirements.
Leadership Comments
“The TimeProvider 4500 v3 grandmaster is a breakthrough solution that empowers operators to deploy a terrestrial, standards-based timing network with unprecedented accuracy and resilience,” said Randy Brudzinski, corporate vice president of Microchip’s frequency and time systems business unit at Microchip. “This innovation reflects Microchip’s commitment to delivering the most advanced and reliable timing solutions for the world’s most essential services.”
For more information about the company’s portfolio of grandmaster clocks, CLICK HERE
Pricing and Availability
The TimeProvider 4500 v3 grandmaster is available for purchase in production quantities.
For additional information and to purchase, contact a Microchip sales representative or an authorized distributor.
