Chronos Technology’s Engineering Department has installed more than 150 GPS based local primary reference based synchronisation units for a leading mobile operator’s ATM cell aggregation sites throughout the United Kingdom.

The mobile operator had been using circuits provided by a large UK carrier to backhaul data from these aggregation sites to its data centres. Since this was proving very costly, the mobile operator decided to migrate to his own backhaul architecture. He now faced a dilemma – keep an E1 circuit just for synchronisation which would not be covered by any service level agreement or invest in his own distributed timing solution.

Chronos’ solution was to supply a GPS primary reference source –TimeGPS from Symmetricom. This solution has proved to be so cost effective that payback was achieved in less then 12 months.

The Chronos installations team started installing the GPS based synchronisation equipment in July 2003 on a ‘turnkey’ basis. The installation work which includes installing the equipment in a rack, connecting power feeds from the switch room power supply, installing a GPS antenna and lightning arrestor and running cable to the antenna location. Two sync feeds are cabled to the Digital Distribution Frame (DDF). Finally the system is commissioned to ensure it performs to the Mobile Operator’s specification.

The Chronos team not only has to be fully competent with GPS equipment and solutions, but also has to address managing lone worker situations, health & safety requirements and negotiating on site access and facilities. Chronos’ electricians are 16th edition qualified.

The Mobile Operator’s equipment is stored in Chronos’ Bonded Store until such time as a site is ready for installation.

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