ToPSync™ (Timing-over-packet Synchronization) Technology Overview

Today’s Service Provider Networks

Today’s wireless networks are continuously evolving to provide high-quality voice services and higher-speed data services to subscribers.  At the same time, service providers are migrating to packet-based voice backhaul networks that provide cost-effective transport of the growing information coming from Mobile Device users, which increasingly includes video, email and Internet traffic.

Network Challenges

The coming together of the TDM-based wireless network and the Ethernet-based backhaul network means the packet network must deliver the synchronization quality that is required by the end service. The result is that the packet network is expected to deliver precise time, phase and frequency as needed to wireless equipment and to transport equipment. The synchronization needed for this is not inherent in Ethernet, so carriers have used a variety of means to deliver this timing from GPS delivery of timing signals to placement of oscillators at each receiving node.  A more practical method is now emerging in the form of IEEE1588v2 Precision Time Protocol, an industry standard for time transfer over Ethernet/IP networks.

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Semtech ToPSync Technology

Semtech’s Timing over Packet Synchronization (ToPSync) clock recovery algorithm uses the IEEE1588v2 Precision Time Protocol to deliver network synchronization for use in wireless backhaul networks. ToPSync is built into Semtech’s ACS9500 family of devices and delivers the precise timing required for frequency accuracy of better than 10 parts per billion (ppb). ToPSync is full featured, automatically adapting to packet delay variation, packet jitter and network reconfigurations, and incorporating a holdover feature to maintain clock accuracy in the event of network failure.

> Visit our ToPSync Product Family page to learn more about our products