Governments worldwide are urging critical infrastructure operators to integrate additional time sources alongside Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) to bolster resilience and reliability. Microchip Technology has announced the release of the TimeProvider 4500 v3 grandmaster clock (TP4500), engineered to provide sub-nanosecond accuracy for time distribution over long-haul optical transmissions spanning 800 km.
This advanced solution fills a significant gap in Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) by offering a robust terrestrial alternative to GNSS. The TP4500 mitigates issues associated with GNSS dependencies, such as physical obstructions, security vulnerabilities, and signal interference costs, by delivering precise timing without relying on satellite signals.
Current infrastructures typically depend on GNSS at grandmaster sites. However, the TP4500 facilitates resilient synchronization independent of GNSS. It supports time references provided by UTC(k) from national laboratories and is the first grandmaster to feature High Accuracy Time Transfer (HA-TT) as per ITU-T G.8271.1/Y.1366.1 (01/2024), achieving a 5-nanosecond time delay over 800 km — translating to an average of 500 picoseconds per node across 10 nodes — setting a new industry standard.
The TP4500 can be configured in multiple operational modes to create a virtual PRTC (vPRTC) architecture, delivering PRTC accuracy across extensive optical networks. vPRTC is a carrier-grade system for terrestrial HA-TT distribution, widely adopted in operator networks globally. HA-TT offers a cost-effective, proven alternative to other PNT solutions, which have yet to gain traction in critical infrastructures and often remain reliant on GNSS.
Randy Brudzinski, Corporate Vice President of Microchip’s Frequency and Time Systems Business Unit, stated, “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. This innovation reflects Microchip’s commitment to delivering the most advanced and reliable timing solutions for the world’s most essential services.”
The TimeProvider 4500 v3 is pivotal in advancing towards the ITU-T G.8272.2 standard, which delineates a coherent network reference time clock (cnPRTC) in its 2024 amendment. This architecture ensures precise, resilient timekeeping across telecom networks, maintaining ePRTC time accuracy even during GNSS outages or other network disruptions.
Key features of the TimeProvider 4500 v3 include sub-nanosecond accuracy, enabling resilient synchronization independent of GNSS, seamless integration with existing networks, and exclusive capabilities through Microchip’s PolarFire FPGA and Azurite synthesiser for unmatched precision.
Optimized for sectors like telecom, utilities, transportation, government, and defence, the TP4500 ensures precise and resilient timing where it is most crucial, offering a scalable solution for secure time distribution over extensive distances.
The TP4500 is the latest addition to Microchip’s IEEE-1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP) grandmaster clock lineup, renowned for industry-leading performance and scalability from low-density applications to high-capacity 5G network timing. For further details, visit Microchip’s grandmaster clocks [web page](https://www.microchip.com/en-us/products/clock-and-timing/systems/ptp-grandmaster-clocks).
The TimeProvider 4500 v3 grandmaster is available for purchase in production quantities. For more information or to purchase, contact a [Microchip sales representative](https://www.microchipdirect.com/contact) or an authorised distributor.
