Chronos partner Microchip has announced the release of TimeProvider 4500 v3 grandmaster clock, designed to deliver sub-nanosecond accuracy for time distribution across 800 km optical transmission networks without relying on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS).
The new system provides critical infrastructure operators with a terrestrial timing solution that addresses government requests worldwide for additional time sources beyond GNSS to enhance resilience and reliability.
The TimeProvider 4500 v3 is the first grandmaster to offer High Accuracy Time Transfer capability that meets 5 nanoseconds time delay over 800 km, setting a new benchmark for accuracy in the industry.
Randy Brudzinski, corporate vice president of Microchip’s frequency and time systems business unit said: “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”.
The system can be configured with multiple operation modes to form an end-to-end architecture known as virtual PRTC (vPRTC), capable of delivering PRTC accuracy over long-distance optical networks. This architecture has been deployed in operator networks globally, according to the press release.
Key features include sub-nanosecond accuracy, GNSS-independent operation, and standards-based integration with existing Ethernet and optical deployments. The product incorporates Microchip’s PolarFire FPGA and Azurite synthesiser technologies.
The TimeProvider 4500 v3 is targeted at telecom, utilities, transportation, government, and defence sectors where precise and resilient timing is critical. It joins Microchip’s portfolio of IEEE-1588 Precision Time Protocol grandmaster clocks and is currently available for purchase in production quantities.
