TimeSource Enhanced PRTC protects against GNSS vulnerabilities

Microsemi’s new TimeSource Enhanced PRTC “generates time” by producing its own independent time scale aligned with GNSS, while its phase, time and frequency signal outputs remain autonomous.

This provides customers within the communications, power, public safety, data center and government network markets with a secure infrastructure, reducing dependency on GNSS and enabling network operators to retake control of the timing source used for network synchronisation.

The new system is also designed to meet the stringent new ITU-T Recommendation G.8272.1, which requires accuracy to within 30 nanoseconds (ns) or better when verified against a time standard such as UTC.

“Worldwide telecommunications, power utilities and other infrastructure customers are in critical need of protection against GNSS vulnerability, and Microsemi’s new TimeSource Enhanced PRTC provides a powerful, high performance solution to address this need,” said Randy Brudzinski, vice president and business unit manager of Microsemi’s Frequency and Time division.

“In addition, maintaining less than 30 ns performance is important to mobile operators who require a high level of accuracy to support LTE/4G and the upcoming deployment of 5G.”

Massive deployment of GNSS as a timing source for synchronising telecommunications networks (both wired and wireless) has created security risks to a point where governments, major telecommunications/mobile operators and enterprises are now urgently looking to protect their networks against both regional GNSS issues as well as the potential of a global GNSS outage.

Microsemi’s TimeSource Enhanced PRTC works with the company’s cesium clocks to ensure time is generated in an autonomous manner. Specifically, the TimeSource Enhanced PRTC’s “source of time” aligns accurately with GNSS time without being dependent upon it—avoiding any vulnerability to threats caused by jamming and spoofing.

According to Research and Markets’ report from market research firm Markets and Markets titled, “Anti-Jamming Market for GPS by Technique (Nulling System, Beam Steering System, Civilian System), Receiver Type (Military & Government Grade, Commercial Transportation Grade), Application, End User, and Geography - Global Forecast to 2022,” the anti-jamming market for GPS is expected to reach $4.8 billion and more than 309,000 units by 2022, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7% and 10%, respectively, between 2016-2022.

Demand for secured weapons guided systems and increasing vulnerability of GPS signals due to development of low-cost GPS jammers are the major growth drivers of the market.