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What are grandmaster clocks?

The network’s heartbeat

The demand for exceptionally accurate network time sources has never been greater. From radio access to national defense infrastructure, local area networks rely on Precision Time Protocol (PTP) synchronization. A key component of PTP systems is the grandmaster clock. These devices are essential for providing standard time information to other clocks across the network. What’s more, grandmasters need to be able to ensure accurate and stable synchronization whether locked to GNSS or in holdover mode when satellite signals are lost.

Opening time

For flexibility and freedom, our grandmasters are designed to operate with PTP slaves from any vendor.
Our pioneering product range features grandmasters with the best holdover performance on the market despite the most compact footprint.

Designed for today’s challenges

Our technology enables precise synchronization in the most space-restrictive indoor and outdoor environments with or without sky view.

Guaranteeing performance

Grandmaster clocks receive UTC-based time information from an external time reference, most commonly a GNSS satellite source. The GNSS-receiver and a PTP engine deliver a PTP service over Ethernet ports. This is then distributed downstream to other clocks. When successfully receiving a reference signal, the grandmaster derives accurate time from the reference. However, when issues occur such as spoofing attacks, grandmasters must be capable of keeping time autonomously, ideally for long periods and with high levels of precision. That’s why our devices feature high-end quartz or rubidium oscillators.

Future proofing your synchronization

Our OSA range of grandmaster clocks is specifically designed to meet the emerging demands of next-generation technologies including 5G.

In sync from the edge to the core

Our portfolio of advanced PTP grandmaster clocks answers the key challenges facing today’s network operators who demand exceptionally precise timings in a cost-effective way. Our pioneering product range features grandmasters with the best holdover performance on the market despite the most compact footprint. And our powerful synchronization network management system guarantees that the configuration, management, monitoring and assurance of your entire timing infrastructure is simple, robust and ready to expand.

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