Timing over Packet

Technical Brief
02/08 Timing over Packet

1. Abstract

This paper is designed to help opera- tions for the transport network between
tors understand how to deploy Preci- base stations and switching offices.
sion Time Protocol (PTP, or IEEE This paper also briefly introduces alter-
1588v2) in mobile networks for the pur- native synchronization technologies
pose of synchronizing base stations. and outlines their use in mobile net-
It introduces the Timing over Packet works.
solution and related design considera-

Table of contents

03 Abstract

04 Motivation

05 Timing over Packet

07 Alternatives

07 Consultation

08 Abbreviations and definitions

03/08 Timing over Packet

2. Motivation

Mobile backhaul networks have tradi- Today’s WCDMA base stations still
tionally been built using TDM techno- provide E1/T1 interfaces for backhaul.
logies; in particular, PDH and SDH/ The option to use TDM will practically
SONET microwave radios, low capac- vanish with 3GPP Long Term Evolution
ity SDH/SONET fiber rings, and cop- (LTE). The base station’s demand for
per-based E1/T1 leased lines. Given backhaul bandwidth of 100Mbps (and
the bandwidth requirements per base more) calls for broadband transport
station and the nature of the Abis inter- technologies. A new requirement also
face in legacy GSM/EDGE and CDMA reveals itself – time synchronization to
architectures, TDM is an appropriate microsecond accuracy. To date this
bearer – and is also used to distribute can only be achieved by equipping cell
the network-wide primary reference sites with GPS receivers.
clock, from which each base station
derives its radio frequency. In order All of the above has led to Nokia
to maintain accuracy to within 50ppb Siemens Networks developing a solu-
of the nominal radio frequency, the tion for synchronizing base stations
network input must be stable to within over packet networks in today’s WCDMA
15ppb. FDD as well as in future LTE networks.
This solution providing simplified, cost-
The widespread launch of High Speed efficient and future proof mobile network
Packet Access (HSPA) is driving oper- synchronization is known as Timing over
ators to evolve their backhaul network Packet.
towards packet transport. While packet-
based technologies are actually being
deployed for backhauling base stations,
the synchronization issue has so far
prevented operators from totally sub-
stituting their existing TDM network.
Ethernet, the commonly envisioned
technology for backhaul, is to date in-
herently asynchronous. Using TDM
and packet in parallel is a viable first
step; in the long run, however, the ma-
jority of operators are looking for ways
to migrate completely to packet.
04/08 Timing over Packet

3. Timing over Packet

Timing over Packet is a complete solu- • The IEEE 1588v2 slave function,
tion for synchronizing WCDMA FDD which is fully integrated into Nokia
base stations that are backhauled over Siemens Networks base stations
packet networks. The solution is based and which receives the timing pack-
on Precision Time Protocol (PTP, or ets. The slave function consists of a
IEEE 1588v2) and includes: sophisticated clock recovery algo-
rithm that works in tandem with the
• An IEEE 1588v2 master, which will base station’s high-quality oscillator.
typically be located at switching of- Already installed base stations can
fices. The master is connected to the be easily upgraded. New base sta-
network-wide reference clock and tions can be ordered with IEEE
generates time-stamped packets for 1588v2 support right from the start
a large number of base stations. of the rollout.
Timing packets can transparently tra-
verse both Layer 3 and Layer 2 net-
works. Nokia Siemens Networks has
selected Symmetricom, a leading
company in synchronization solu-
tions, to become its first supplier for
IEEE 1588v2 masters.

NodeB Packet network

RNC

Timing packets (unicast) 1588 2MHz/2Mbps

NodeB master GPS

Figure 1: Timing over Packet solution

The third solution component is an ed- conditions. Nevertheless, attention has

ucated look at the backhaul network. In to be paid to certain network design as-
principle, PTP works transparently over pects. Quality of Service should be ap-
any packet network. On their way from plied at every highly loaded node, to
master to slave, timing packets experi- avoid timing packets being queued be-
ence delay, which varies from packet hind other traffic. Network reconfigura-
to packet. The base station’s IEEE tions and automatic rerouting of traffic,
1588v2 slave function reliably cancels causing step changes in packet delay,
this delay even under adverse network should be minimized.
05/08 Timing over Packet

Timing over Packet is one of the first Timing over Packet, based on PTP, is
significant implementations of PTP. a future-proof solution. Today used for
Nokia Siemens Networks is committed frequency synchronization, PTP is the
to open standards and has been a con- only network timing standard proven to
tributor to IEEE 1588 standardization also support time synchronization at
work. The recently standardized Ver- sub-microsecond accuracy when im-
sion 2 incorporates a number of addi- plemented across the network. This
tions that are relevant to wide area level of accuracy is required in recently
network applications – message rates developed and forthcoming mobile
can be higher, unicast is possible, mul- technologies such as DVB-H, mobile
tiple routers can be traversed, and the WiMAX (IEEE 802.16e), and LTE.
concept of transparent clocks has been
introduced. The Timing over Packet
solution is based on the telecom profile
proposal of IEEE 1588v2, a subset of
features.
06/08 Timing over Packet

4. Alternatives
Synchronous Ethernet TDM
(ITU-T G.8261/2/4) TDM-based synchronization – the tra-
In February 2008, ITU-T consented to ditional approach – appears to be in-
the Synchronous Ethernet standard. compatible with packet networks, but it
Unlike PTP, this technology operates is not. Upgrading existing SDH networks
on the physical layer, effectively taking to Next Generation SDH is a viable al-
many of the SDH synchronization ternative for operators to gracefully mi-
mechanisms over into the packet grate to packet transport. TDM-based
world. Synchronous Ethernet operates synchronization is also a property of
independently of the network load; the various existing access technologies;
downside is that it requires to be sup- the majority of PDH and SDH/SONET
ported at every hop along the chain of microwave radios can be upgraded to
nodes between the switching office convey Ethernet in addition to E1/T1
and the cell site. Nokia Siemens Net- and STM1/OC3 respectively.
works is implementing Synchronous SHDSL.bis allows the bonding of multi-
Ethernet in various access and aggre- ple copper loops to form a single Ether-
gation platforms, as well as in WCDMA net pipe, synchronized by means of
FDD base stations. NTR. Finally, GPON can natively carry
TDM and Ethernet in parallel, while
being perfectly synchronous at Layer 1.

5. Consultation
Looking at the variety of options avail- If the backhaul infrastructure is being Nokia Siemens Networks advises op-
able can be confusing. However, PTP renewed – for example where SDH/ erators in all aspects of network opti-
and Synchronous Ethernet should not SONET networks are being substituted mization and assurance, and stands
be regarded as being contradictory – by Carrier Ethernet technologies – for successful base station synchro-
rather, they complement another. In Synchronous Ethernet is also an nization, as proven by key performance
certain environments, the use of a option. In many cases, a mix of tech- indicators. With broad experience in
mechanism that is transparent to the nologies is the best way forward, for fixed and mobile networks, and having
backhaul network is inevitable; for ex- example, using NTR for the copper- all relevant technologies available in
ample, where mobile operators are based first mile and PTP between the house, Nokia Siemens Networks is
leasing Ethernet services from a third DSLAM and the switching office. well positioned to help operators find
party. The Metro Ethernet Forum is in and deploy the most reliable, cost-
the process of defining mobile back- efficient, and simple synchronization
haul service attributes, although syn- solution.
chronization has been excluded from
the first round.
07/08 Timing over Packet

6. Abbreviations and definitions

Abis The logical interface between a base LTE 3GPP Long Term Evolution
station and its base station controller in MBMS Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service
GSM/EDGE and CDMA architectures NTR Network Time Reference
DSL Digital Subscriber Line PTP Precision Time Protocol
DSLAM DSL Access Multiplexer SDH Synchronous Digital Hierarchy
FDD Frequency Division Duplex SHDSL Symmetric High Bit Rate DSL
GPON Gigabit Passive Optical Network TDD Time Division Duplex
GPS Global Positioning System TDM Time Division Multiplex
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