High-Accuracy Time Transfer Solution Provides Sub-Nanosecond Time Transfer Up To 800 km Using Long-Haul Optical Networks
Microchip (Nasdaq: MCHP) announced the TimeProvider 4500 v3 grandmaster clock on Oct 27, 2025, a terrestrial alternative to GNSS that delivers 5 ns time transfer accuracy up to 800 km.
The TP4500 supports UTC(k) references, implements High Accuracy Time Transfer (HA-TT) per ITU-T G.8271.1, and can be configured as a virtual PRTC (vPRTC) or evolve toward cnPRTC (G.8272.2) architectures for resilient, carrier-grade timing. The product is shipping in production quantities with premium software features using PolarFire FPGA and Azurite synthesizer for precise, long-haul optical time distribution.
Microchip (Nasdaq: MCHP) ha annunciato il TimeProvider 4500 v3 grandmaster clock il 27 ottobre 2025, un'alternativa terrestre al GNSS che offre un'accuratezza di trasferimento tempo di 5 ns fino a 800 km.
Il TP4500 supporta riferimenti UTC(k), implementa High Accuracy Time Transfer (HA-TT) secondo ITU-T G.8271.1, e può essere configurato come vPRTC (virtual PRTC) o evolvere verso architetture cnPRTC (G.8272.2) per una sincronizzazione resistente di livello carrier. Il prodotto è in produzione con funzionalità software premium utilizzando FPGA PolarFire e sintetizzatore Azurite per una distribuzione ottica del tempo precisa su lunga distanza.
Microchip (Nasdaq: MCHP) anunció el TimeProvider 4500 v3 como reloj maestro el 27 de octubre de 2025, una alternativa terrestre al GNSS que ofrece una precisión de transferencia de tiempo de 5 ns hasta 800 km.
El TP4500 admite referencias UTC(k), implementa High Accuracy Time Transfer (HA-TT) según ITU-T G.8271.1, y puede configurarse como vPRTC (PRTC virtual) o evolucionar hacia arquitecturas cnPRTC (G.8272.2) para una sincronización resistente de nivel operador. El producto se comercializa en cantidades de producción con características de software premium que utilizan FPGA PolarFire y el sintetizador Azurite para una distribución óptica del tiempo precisa a larga distancia.
Microchip (Nasdaq: MCHP)는 GNSS의 지상 대안으로서 TimeProvider 4500 v3 그랜드마스터 시계를 2025년 10월 27일에 발표했으며, 최대 800 km까지 5 ns의 시간 전송 정확도를 제공합니다.
TP4500은 UTC(k) 기준을 지원하고 ITU-T G.8271.1에 따라 High Accuracy Time Transfer (HA-TT)를 구현하며, 가상 PRTC(vPRTC)로 구성되거나 cnPRTC(G.8272.2) 아키텍처로 진화하여 통신사 급의 견고한 타이밍을 제공합니다. 이 제품은 PolarFire FPGA와 Azurite 합성기를 사용하여 긴 거리의 광학 시간 분배를 정밀하게 수행하는 프리미엄 소프트웨어 기능과 함께 대량 생산으로 배송됩니다.
Microchip (Nasdaq: MCHP) a annoncé l'horloge grand maître TimeProvider 4500 v3 le 27 octobre 2025, une alternative terrestre au GNSS qui offre une précision de transfert de temps de 5 ns jusqu'à 800 km.
Le TP4500 prend en charge les références UTC(k), met en œuvre le High Accuracy Time Transfer (HA-TT) selon ITU-T G.8271.1, et peut être configuré comme vPRTC (PRTC virtuel) ou évoluer vers des architectures cnPRTC (G.8272.2) pour une synchronisation résiliente de niveau opérateur. Le produit est en production avec des fonctionnalités logicielles Premium utilisant un FPGA PolarFire et un synthétiseur Azurite pour une distribution optique du temps précise sur de longues distances.
Microchip (Nasdaq: MCHP) kündigte den TimeProvider 4500 v3 Grandmaster Clock am 27. Oktober 2025 an, eine terrestrische Alternative zu GNSS, die eine Zeitübertragungsgenauigkeit von 5 ns bis zu 800 km bietet.
Der TP4500 unterstützt UTC(k)-Referenzen, implementiert High Accuracy Time Transfer (HA-TT) gemäß ITU-T G.8271.1 und kann als virtueller PRTC (vPRTC) konfiguriert werden oder sich zu cnPRTC-Architekturen (G.8272.2) weiterentwickeln, um belastbare Timing-Lösungen auf Carrier-Niveau zu liefern. Das Produkt wird in Produktionsmengen mit Premium-Softwarefunktionen unter Verwendung von PolarFire-FPGA und Azurite-Synthesizer für präzise, lange Übertragungswege der optischen Zeitverteilung ausgeliefert.
Microchip ( Nasdaq: MCHP ) أعلنت عن ساعة TimeProvider 4500 v3 كـ grandmaster clock في 27 أكتوبر 2025، كبديل أرضي لـ GNSS يوفر دقة نقل زمن 5 نان ثانية حتى 800 كم.
يدعم TP4500 مراجع UTC(k)، وينفذ High Accuracy Time Transfer (HA-TT) وفق ITU-T G.8271.1، ويمكن تكوينه كـ vPRTC (PRTC افتراضي) أو التطور نحو بنى cnPRTC (G.8272.2) من أجل توقيت متين من فئة الناقل. المنتج يُشحن بكميات إنتاج مع ميزات برمجية مميزة باستخدام FPGA PolarFire ومولّد Azurite لتوزيع الوقت البصري بدقة عبر مدى بعيد.
Microchip（纳斯达克股票代码：MCHP） 在< b>2025年10月27日宣布推出 TimeProvider 4500 v3 Grandmaster 时钟，作为 GNSS 的陆地替代方案，提供 高达 800 公里、5 纳秒的时间传输精度。
TP4500 支持 UTC(k) 基准，按照 ITU-T G.8271.1 实现高精度时间传输 (HA-TT)，并且可以配置为虚拟 PRTC (vPRTC) 或向 cnPRTC（G.8272.2）架构演进，以实现电信级的鲁棒定时。该产品正在批量出货，具备高级软件功能，采用 PolarFire FPGA 与 Azurite 合成器实现对精确、远距离的光学时间分发。
- 5 ns time transfer accuracy over up to 800 km
- Supports ITU-T G.8271.1 High Accuracy Time Transfer standard
- Configurable as vPRTC with path to cnPRTC (G.8272.2)
- Available now in production quantities
- Requires external UTC(k) time reference from national labs
- Performance example assumes 10 nodes (≈500 ps/node), which may vary in real networks
Insights
Microchip's TimeProvider 4500 v3 offers a standards-based, terrestrial alternative to GNSS with sub-nanosecond accuracy across 800 km.
The product packages High Accuracy Time Transfer (HA-TT) capabilities that claim 5 ns time delay over 800 km and supports UTC(k) inputs and vPRTC/cnPRTC architectures. This establishes a clear technical pathway for distributing a coherent reference time across long-haul optical networks without the operational dependence on GNSS at grandmaster sites.
Dependencies and risks include successful field integration into carrier optical networks, interoperability with existing PTP (IEEE-1588) deployments, and uptake by national labs or operators to serve as UTC(k) sources. The announcement cites compliance with ITU-T G.8271.1/Y.1366.1 (01/2024) and positions the TP4500 v3 as a steppingstone toward ITU-T G.8272.2 support; those standards references imply specific test and conformance requirements operators must validate during rollout.
Concrete items to watch: commercial availability and initial deployment case studies, independent conformance testing to the cited ITU-T recommendations, and any operator adoption announcements in the next 6–18 months following the
Microchip’s TimeProvider® 4500 v3 grandmaster clock enables terrestrial alternative to GNSS for resilient critical infrastructure services
CHANDLER, Ariz., Oct. 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Governments across the globe are requesting critical infrastructure operators to adopt additional time sources alongside GNSS to enhance resilience and reliability, ensuring uninterrupted operations in the face of potential disruptions or service limitations. Microchip Technology (Nasdaq: MCHP) today announces the release of the TimeProvider® 4500 v3 grandmaster clock (TP4500) designed to deliver sub-nanosecond accuracy for time distribution across 800 km long-haul optical transmission.
This innovative solution provides critical infrastructure operators with the missing link the industry has been waiting for in terms of complementary Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT). The TP4500 provides a resilient, terrestrial solution in the absence of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) for precise timing, alleviating physical obstruction, security and signal interference costs associated with GNSS-dependent deployments.
Most current deployments require GNSS at grandmaster sites, but the TP4500 enables highly resilient synchronization without relying on GNSS. The TP4500 supports time reference provided by UTC(k) UTC time provided by national labs, and is the first grandmaster to offer a premium capability that delivers High Accuracy Time Transfer (HA-TT) as defined by ITU-T G.8271.1/Y.1366.1 (01/2024) to meet 5 nanoseconds (ns) time delay over 800 km (equating to 500 picoseconds (ps) average per node, assuming 10 nodes), setting a new industry benchmark for accuracy.
The TP4500 system can be configured with multiple operation modes to form an end-to-end architecture known as virtual PRTC (vPRTC), capable of delivering PRTC accuracy over a long-distance optical network. vPRTC is a carrier-grade architecture for terrestrial distribution of HA-TT, which has been widely deployed in operator networks throughout the world. HA-TT is a proven and cost-effective approach, as opposed to other alternative PNT solutions that have no wide adoption into critical infrastructure networks to date, have low Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) and are still dependent on GNSS as the ultimate source of time.
“The TimeProvider 4500 v3 grandmaster is a breakthrough solution that empowers operators to deploy a terrestrial, standards-based timing network with unprecedented accuracy and resilience,” said Randy Brudzinski, corporate vice president of Microchip’s frequency and time systems business unit at Microchip. “This innovation reflects Microchip’s commitment to delivering the most advanced and reliable timing solutions for the world’s most essential services.”
TimeProvider 4500 v3 is a key steppingstone towards support of the ITU-T G.8272.2 standard, which defines a coherent network reference time clock (cnPRTC) in amendment 2 (2024). An cnPRTC architecture ensures highly accurate, resilient, and robust timekeeping throughout a telecom network. This allows stable, network-wide ePRTC time accuracy, even during periods of regional or network-wide GNSS unavailability or other failures and interruptions.
Key features of the TimeProvider 4500 v3 series:
- Sub-nanosecond accuracy: Delivers 5 ns time delay over long distances up to 800 km Terrestrial alternative to GNSS: Enables critical infrastructure to operate with resilient synchronization mechanisms independent of GNSS
- Seamless integration: Standards-based terrestrial network for time transfer, easily integrated with off-the-shelf small form-factor pluggable and existing Ethernet and optical deployments
- Exclusive capability: Premium software features available only on the TP4500 v3, integrating Microchip’s PolarFire® FPGA and Azurite synthesizer for unmatched precision
Optimized for telecom, utilities, transportation, government, and defense, the TP4500 grandmaster ensures precise and resilient timing where it matters most. This latest version provides operators with a scalable solution for secure and reliable time distribution over long distances.
The TP4500 is the newest product to join Microchip’s portfolio of IEEE®-1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP) grandmaster clocks, which provide industry-leading performance and value. These field-proven solutions scale from low-density indoor applications to high-capacity 5G network timing requirements. For more information about the company’s portfolio of grandmaster clocks, visit the web page.
Pricing and Availability
The TimeProvider 4500 v3 grandmaster is available for purchase in production quantities. For additional information and to purchase, contact a Microchip sales representative or an authorized distributor.
Resources
High-res images available through Flickr or editorial contact (feel free to publish):
- Application image: www.flickr.com/photos/microchiptechnology/54779657607/sizes/l
About Microchip Technology:
Microchip Technology Inc. is a broadline supplier of semiconductors committed to making innovative design easier through total system solutions that address critical challenges at the intersection of emerging technologies and durable end markets. Its easy-to-use development tools and comprehensive product portfolio supports customers throughout the design process, from concept to completion. Headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, Microchip offers outstanding technical support and delivers solutions across the industrial, automotive, consumer, aerospace and defense, communications and computing markets. For more information, visit the Microchip website at www.microchip.com.
Note: The Microchip name and logo, the Microchip logo and PolarFire are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A. and other countries. TimeProvider is a registered trademark of Microchip Technology Inc. in the U.S.A. only. All other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective companies.
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FAQ
What timing accuracy does Microchip's TimeProvider 4500 v3 (MCHP) provide?
When was the TimeProvider 4500 v3 for MCHP announced and is it available?
Does the TP4500 v3 reduce dependence on GNSS for critical infrastructure timing?
Which standards does the TP4500 v3 support for high-accuracy timing?
What is required as a time reference for the TP4500 v3 deployment?
How does the TP4500 v3 achieve sub-nanosecond performance per node?
