Timing Sync Lte Sec
Timing Sync Lte Sec
Timing Sync Lte Sec
Introduction
Once a routine network function, timing
and synchronization requirements are
changing rapidly as mobile network and
backhaul technologies evolve. Carriers
successfully solved the problem of
distributing frequency synchronization
through asynchronous Ethernet backhaul
networks using the IEEE 1588 Precision
Time Protocol (PTP) and/or Synchronous
Ethernet (SyncE). Looking forward, LTETime Division Duplex and LTE-Advanced
impose new, very stringent time and phase
synchronization requirements. With the
advent of small cells, several additional
backhaul technologies are in the mix.
Together, stringent timing for phase and
new backhaul technologies for small cells
have pushed cell site synchronization
issues to the forefront.
This paper reviews the requirements and
challenges of timing and synchronization
for LTE-TDD, LTE-A and backhaul
networks, considers the problems that
must be solved, and presents solutions that
are being proposed and developed. While
each section could easily be the subject of
a separate paper with deeper coverage, it
is the purpose of this paper to provide a
general overview of the subject.
Frequency Synchronization
TA=1/fA
TB=1/fB
fA=fB
Phase Synchronization
TA=1/fA
TB=1/fB
B
fA=fB
Time Synchronization
TA=1/fA
:00
01:00
TA=1/fA
:10
01:00
TB=1/fB
B
fA=fB
01:0
0:00
01:0
0:10
..
. Figure 1: Frequency, Phase and Time Synchronization
..
..
Precise but
not accurate
Accurate but
not precise
Precise &
accurate
..
. Figure 2: Accuracy and Precision
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Application
Note
16 ppb / 50 ppb
--
--
CDMA2000
16 ppb / 50 ppb
3 s to 10 s
--
LTE TDD
16 ppb / 50 ppb
1.5 s
3 km cell radius
5 s
LTE MBMS
(LTE-FDD & LTE-TDD)
16 ppb / 50 ppb
10 s
inter-cell time
difference
LTE- Advanced
16 ppb / 50 ppb
1.5 s to 5 s
In discussion by
members of the 3GPP
..
. Figure 3: Frequency and Phase Synchronization Requirements
LTE-Advanced
Type of Coordination
Phase
eICIC
1.5 to 5s
CoMP Moderate to
tight
UL coordinated scheduling
5 s
DL coordinated scheduling
5 s
DL coordinated beamforming
1.5 s
5 s
UL joint processing
1.5 s
UL selection combining
1.5 s
UL joint reception
1.5 s
..
. Figure 4: LTE-Advanced Synchronization Requirements
Impact of Failure
Investment in small cells and LTE networks
is made to increase capacity and coverage.
When synchronization fails, both objectives
are lost. Figure 5 presents a cumulative
look of what can go wrong.
Application
Impact of non-compliance
LTE -FDD
Call initiation
LTE -FDD
LTE-A MBSFN
LTE-A MIMO/
COMP
LTE-A eICIC
Interference coordination
Needs and Impacts are cumulative, that is: plus all of the above.
..
. Figure 5: Why Synchronization is Important.
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CORE
AGGREGATION
ACCESS
..
.. Figure 6: GNSS for Every Base Station, Cell Site Router or NID
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Server
Client
Master
t1
Network protocol
stack & OS
Sync detector &
timestamp generator
Physical layer
Network
Sync
follow_up
Slave
t2
t3
t4
delay_req.
delay_resp.
Ethernet/IP
Network
Master clock sends:
1. Sync message
2. Follow_up message
4. Delay_resp. message
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CORE
AGGREGATION
ACCESS
PTP GM
BC
SyncE
S
E
BC
BC
BC
BC
BC
SyncE
S
E
SyncE
S
E
SyncE
S
E
S
SyncE
E
S
SyncE
E
~
Rb
Macro eN
eNodeB
BC
SyncE
S
E
BC
BC
BC
BC
BC
S
SyncE
E
SyncE
S
E
SyncE
S
E
SyncE
S
E
S
SyncE
E
Small
mall Cell
Aggregation
PTP GM
~
~
..
. Figure 7: Backhaul network using the ITU-T G.8275.1 profile for phase synchronization
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Sources of Asymmetry
1. Switch delay variation:
- Switch transit: packet processing,
buffering and queuing
- Payload variation increases
variation in switch delay
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CORE
AGGREGATION
ACCESS
Boundary Clock
PTP GM
Macro eNodeB
High PDV or 3rd Party
Edge GM
~
PON
OLT
DSLAM
ONU
DSL
Edge GM
modem
~
Microwave
Edge GM
Boundary Clock
PTP GM
..
. Figure 8: Partial on-path support and/or Edge Grandmaster deployment scenarios
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NORMAL OPERATION
ACCESS
Edge GM
Edge GM
ACCESS
Edge GM
Edge GM
Rb
..
. Figure 10: Edge Grandmasters provide backup to each other.
Edge GM or BC
with rubidium
oscillator
..
.. Figure 9: A single rubidium oscillator provides
. extended holdover to multiple base stations.
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2013 Symmetricom. Symmetricom and the Symmetricom logo are registered trademarks
of Symmetricom, Inc. All specifications subject to change without notice.
WP_TIMESYNCLTE/080313