Symmetricom, a worldwide leader in precise time and frequency technologies that accelerate the deployment and enable the management of next generation networks, announced its TimeProvider(TM) 5000, the industry's first carrier-class IEEE 1588v2 grand master clock, successfully interoperated with Nokia Siemens Networks' Timing over Packet solution over a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Network at the 4th Multi-Vendor Carrier Ethernet World Congress (CEWC) Interoperability Showcase, September 22-26, 2008 in Berlin, Germany organized by EANTC. In April, Nokia Siemens Networks introduced the industry's first open standard Timing over Packet solution that incorporates the TimeProvider 5000 to synchronize base stations over packet-based Ethernet backhaul networks.

"TimeProvider 5000 enables Nokia Siemens Networks' customers to accelerate their migration from TDM to Ethernet backhaul resulting in cost savings while simultaneously boosting network capacity to handle bandwidth hungry applications like voice, video and music downloads," commented Mike Vizzi, senior product manager at Symmetricom. "Our success at the Multi-Vendor CEWC Interoperability Showcase demonstrates that running PTP over MPLS Layer 2 networks has moved from 'proof-of-concept' to the 'practical deployment' stage."

In the Timing over Packet solution, Symmetricom's TimeProvider 5000 distributes a network reference clock to a large number of PTPv2-enabled NSN base stations. The base station's ability to synchronize its frequency based on the reference received from the TimeProvider 5000 is critical to maintaining service provider Service Level Agreements (SLAs), minimizing service disruptions and eliminating dropped calls. Timing over Packet is an open and future proof solution based on the IEEE 1588 version 2 standard. It addresses the synchronization requirements of both today as well as forthcoming 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) wireless networks. The synchronization of base stations is a critical building block for mobile backhaul networks.

"This is the first, complete, live demonstration of Nokia Siemens Network's proposition for mobile backhaul over Carrier Ethernet, including all elements in the network chain," commented Dirk Lindemeier, responsible for mobile backhaul solutions at Nokia Siemens Networks. "More remarkably, it is the first time we have demonstrated a complete solution for packet based synchronization working live over a multi-vendor Carrier Ethernet network. We are pleased to have teamed with Symmetricom for the critical synchronization component using their TimeProvider 5000, a carrier-class IEEE 1588v.2 grand master clock."

The live event at IIR's Carrier Ethernet World Congress included a network of more than 100 leading-edge systems and provided proof-of-concept for network operators who want to migrate and utilize next generation Carrier Ethernet services. A 20-page white paper with detailed findings is available for download at http://www.eantc.com/cewc2008.