GNSS P3 Common-View Technique in

Synchronization Network Performance

Monitoring for LTE-A and 5G NR

Sammy Siu, Y. J. Huang, C. Y. Chiu, and C. S. Liao

National Standard Time and Frequency Lab.
Telecommunication Laboratories, Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd.,
TAIWAN

1
History of the Primary Reference (Time) Clock

G.811 (1988) PRC

G.811 (1997) PRC

G.8272 (2012) PRTC

G.8272.1 (2016) ePRTC

G.8272.1/Y.1367.1 ePRTC functional model

2
ITU-T Primary Reference Time Clock (PRTC) Classes
ITU-T ePRTC/PRTC Time error Holdover GNSS

PRTC-A
L1 (C/A code)
(Rename PRTC) +/- 100ns Further study
PRTC
(ITU-T G.8272) L1 C/A code
with L1/L2C
PRTC-B* +/- 40ns Further study
carrier phase**
L1 C/A code
ePRTC-A* +/- 100ns
(or with L1/L2C
ePRTC with Cs (ePRC) +/- 30ns over 14 days
carrier phase)
(ITU-T
G.8272.1) ePRTC-B* L1 C/A code
+/- 100ns
with Cs(s) (or with L1/L2C
+/- 30ns over 80days
(ePRC) carrier phase)

*Cable delay compensation using Two Way Time Transfer (Layer 1-TWTT) (Option).
**L1=1575.42MHz, ePRTC: enhanced PRTC
L2=1227.7MHz ePRC: enhanced Primary Reference Clock

Both ePRTC-A/B and PRTC-A/B constitute the network synchronization for accuracy
frequency, time and phase to fulfill the needs of both service and infrastructure.

3
High Level Architecture For Accurate and Precise Time/Phase
Distribution For LTE-TDD/LTE-A(FDD,TDD) and 5G NR
Synchronization network
supervision
BIPM/UTC
and measurement
UTC level ( with Big-Data and AI
GNSS
Metrology Support )
Common-view
Institutes National Time Service
UTC Standard (G.8272) UTC
Frequency UTC(*) Frequency
+Time/Phase +Time/Phase
G.8272.1
ePRTC OTT OTT G.8272.1
ePRTCs ePRTCs ePRTC
( ePRC(Cs)) (Core (Core level) (ePRC(Cs))
level) Carrier (1) Carrier (n)
(1) Full Timing Support
(FTS) , or
Mobile
Mobile (2) Partial Timing
Backhaul
Backhaul support (PTS) ,
PRTC-A/B with Assisted Partial
(APTS +AAC) PRTC-A/B Timing Support (APTS)
Fronthaul Sync-E, (APTS+AAC)
Sync-E, and AAC.
(eCPRI Spec. V 1.2) PTP PTP
e.g. , eNode B e.g. , eNode B
eCPRI (eREC, eRE) eCPRI (eREC, eRE)

Synchronization network supervision and measurement BIPM: Bureau International des Poids et Mesures
Direct measurement method: UTC: Coordinated Universal Time
GNSS common-view allows < 10ns GNSS: Global Navigation Satellite System
Time Transfer for measurement reference: Cs: Cesium Clock
(1) IEEE 1588 High accuracy (White Rabbit) allows a few ns PTP: Precision Time Protocol
(2) Optical Time Transfer (OTT) allows a few 100 ps Sync-E: Synchronous Ethernet
CPRI: Common Public Radio Interface
Advanced Synchronization Network Management : REC: Radio Equipment Controllers
Big-Data, and AI including Knowledge-base Support RE: Radio Equipment
AAC : Automatic Asymmetry Compensation
4 4
PRTCs-Cloud and Performance Monitoring Based on GNSS
Common-view Technique in Telecommunication Networks
PRTC-B

ePRTC-A ePRTC-A
PRTC-B PRTC-B
ePRTC-A PRTC-B**
Core
Center (3) Core
Core Center (k) PTP Flow
Center (1)
TWTT PRTC-A
Antenna*
ePRTC-A

Core PRTC-B PRTC-B

UTC level Center (k- ePRTC-A
Metrology UTC(*) 1)
Institutes
ePRTC-A PTP Flow Core
National Time and Center (k-2)
PTP Flow
Frequency Standard
Lab.(UTC(*)) Core
Center PRTC-A
(2) PRTC-B
*TWTT: two way time PRTC-A
transfer antenna PRTC-B

**Using PTP from the Core ePRTC (A,B) to back up the Edge PRTC(A,B),
when the later GNSS is unavailable. The PTP accumulates time error (
cTE, dTE) as it traverses the network, where the dTE created by the PDV
and the cTE created by delay asymmetry in the network. For stable
delay asymmetry, it can be calibrated in advance for compensation. in
advance for compensation.

5
Using PTP From The Core ePRTC To Back Up the Edge PRTC
Fronthaul Fronthaul
Network Network

PRTC-
PRTC- B
B
PTP connections from
the Core ePRTC to the Fronthaul Network
High accuracy Edge PRTC (Sync-E & PTP)
frequency input from ePRC PTP flow
ePRTC-A/B to stabilize
IEEE 802.1CM
APTS+AAC
the clock in PRTC- Cs ePRTC-(A, & G.8271.1
B/PRTC-A. Cs B) PRTC-
Time Sensitive
B Network
PTP slave
Core-level evaluating PTP
connection
asymmetry

PRTC- PRTC-
B B

Fronthaul
Network
Fronthaul
Network

Traceable frequency phase drift (Time Hold-over)

Frequency 10ns 50ns 100ns 1us
(ePRC)
< 1.0E-12 > 2.8 h > 13.9 h > 27.8 h > 11.6 days
6
 Consideration of Design a Reliable Sync. Network
(freq., time/phase)
1. Reliability e.g. to overcome GNSS outages and jamming
=> Should be not too much GNSS dependent, if GNSS is used
=> a back up is need (e.g., ePRTC(A, B))

2. Permanent supervision and measurement => requires better

reference clocks and better time transfer*

3. Availability e.g., AAC (Automatic Asymmetry Compensation)

4. Advanced synchronization network management
=> Big-Data, and AI including Knowledge-base Support

*Synchronization network supervision and measurement

Direct measurement method:
GNSS Common-View Technique allows < 10ns

Time Transfer for measurement reference:

(1) IEEE 1588 High accuracy (White Rabbit) allows a few ns
(2) Optical Time Transfer (OTT) allows a few 100ps

7
PRTCs Time/Phase monitoring based on GNSS (e.g., GPS)
Common-view technique

S
Satellite e.g., GPS (i)

Ionosphere 20200km
 SA
i
 SB
i
k

Propagation Propagation
delay delay

Troposphere
Clock A Clock B
Data flow
Time error TEi  A  Time error TEi Bk  
Earth

UTC()  GPS i    SA
i
 
ePRTC Bk   GPS i    SB
i
k

National Time and ePRTC locates in Core Center(k)
Frequency Standard Lab. K=1,2,3,---N

The final measurement result is: (UTC(*)  ePRTC ( Bk ))  ( SA   SB ) k

Time /phase domain

8
 Code and Phase models
The GNSS code and phase models are described as follows:
L1i k   ki  I ki  Tki  c k  c i  1n1ik  ε1ik
f12 i
L    2 I k  Tki  c k  c i  2 n2i k  ε2i k
i
2k
i
k
f2
P1ik   ki  I ki  Tki  c k  c i  1ik
2
f
P2ik   ki  12 I ki  Tki  c k  c i  1ik
f2
The ionosphere-free P code P3 and carrier phase L3 are modeled as:
1
P3  2 ( f 2
P  f 2
2 P2 )
f1  f 2 2 1 1

1
L3  2 ( f 2
L  f 2
2 L2 )
f1  f 2 2 1 1

9
 Global Navigation Satellites System

S
e.g., GPS (i) e.g., GPS (l )

A
GNSS
GNSS Common-view
B
UTC(TL) Engine GNSS
B
TEi  A
1pps Common-view GNSS
UTC(TL)
GNSS Engine GNSS Common-view
Engine
Common-view
service TEi ( BK 1 ) TEi ( BK )
Data input GNSS GNSS
OSS
ePRC(Cs) 1pps ePRC(Cs) 1pps
National Time and
10MHz ePRTC 10MHz ePRTC
Frequency Standard Lab. PTP over
Remote PTP over
UTC(*) Ethernet Remote Ethernet
CalibrationCore Center Calibration
(k-1) Core Center
Carrier OSS(s)
(k)
e.g., ePRTC/PRTC

The configuration of GNSS (e.g., GPS) common-view services deployment

in the network, where “A” site locates in National Time and Frequency
Standard Lab. and “B” sites locate in core centers in carrier network
GPS: Global Positioning System
OSS: Operations support systems
10
Setup for testing ePRTC

ePRTC(DUT)

11
 Warmup Test of ePRTC

- UTC(TL)-ePRTC-11ns
15

* UTC-UTC(TL)
10

5
*4.7ns *3.7ns
0

-5

-10

-15

-20

-25

-30
58317 58318 58319 58320 58321 58322 58323 58324 58325

12
Measurement results

(UTC(TL)-ePRTC)+K

13
ePRTC stability: MTIE

14
ePRTC stability: TDEV

15
ePRTC Time Holdover

16
 Conclusions
 The analytical results justify
 the GNSS common-view technique offers a effective performance
monitoring schemes for ePRTCs-cloud in synchronization network
 the remote calibration scheme eliminates the constant time error
(cable delay compensation) generated in ePRTC
 minimize the time error generated by ePRTC

 Expectably, the GNSS common-view service will be widely used in

synchronization network in
 the carriers for 4G (e.g., LTE-A),
 the coming future 5G, and
 the Defense Office Department (DoD) in a country to secure time

17