The need for synchronization has always existed in wireless networks to prevent poor call quality and maximize network capacity. Poor synchronization affects handoffs between base stations, affecting the frequencies at which mobile handset calls are transmitted, causing clicks on the line or even dropped calls.

Antonis Karvelas of Ethernet Academy explains it this way: “With a packet-based transport network that is asynchronous in nature, it is a necessity to develop mechanisms to transport the clock in a very accurate and reliable manner with minimum bandwidth consumption. These mechanisms need to overcome packet-based network issues, such as varying delay, jitter and packet loss.”

Symmetricom (News - Alert), in partnership with Raisecom Technology, has successfully tested interoperability solutions to validate LTE mobile backhaul deployment scenarios over packet networks leveraging ITU.TG.8261 and the IEEE (News - Alert) 1588-2008 synchronization protocol.

IEEE 1588-2008 represents the latest in IP timing technology. Commonly known as Precision Time Protocol (PTP), IEEE 1588 overcomes Ethernet NTP latency and jitter issues by providing unprecedented accuracy.

PTP measures the round-trip delay between the master and slave clocks by having the clocks communicate short messages to one another that measure and cancel out delay and latency inaccuracies.

In the Symmetricom-Raisecom interoperability test, the Symmetricom Grandmaster clock, the TimeProvider 5000 IEEE 1588-2008, functioned as the main timing source. The TimeProvider 5000 provides high client capacity, hardware-based packet processing, as well as redundant hardware, to match the synchronization needs of next-generation networks like Synchronous Ethernet, PTP and NTP protocols.

Testing with Symmetricom confirmed the reliability of Raisecom’s wireless backhaul architecture. “Using Raisecom 10GbE switches deployed with the iTN201 Carrier-Ethernet Edge Devices, our customers are able to implement a very flexible yet cost-effective architecture for a synchronized mobile backhaul network,” explained Alex Shaw, CEO at Raisecom Technology.

In light of the success of the interoperability testing, Raisecom now joins Symmetricom in a new partnership via the SyncWorld Ecosystem Program. As a member of SyncWorld’s network equipment partners segment, Raisecom will cooperate with Symmetricom in ways that include technical, marketing and field support.

“The momentum we've received with the SyncWorld Ecosystem Program and the addition of Raisecom further demonstrates that service providers realize an immediate benefit for interoperability around the rigorous synchronization and timing requirements required to support 4G/LTE mobile network deployments,” said Manish Gupta (News - Alert), Symmetricom’s vice president of Marketing and Business Development.

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO West 2012, taking place Oct. 2-5, in Austin, TX. ITEXPO (News - Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It's also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. For more information on registering for ITEXPO click here.

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