HP Unveils Timing Solutions For Digital Communication Networks; New Products Combine with New Consulting Services to Increase Reliability of Digital Networks

Business Wire, June 17, 1996

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 17, 1996--Leveraging its decades of experience in quartz technology and cesium time standards, Hewlett-Packard Company today introduces an affordable line of network timing and synchronization solutions. HP's new products and services are designed to enhance the reliability and accuracy of today's high-speed, digital communication networks. The timing and synchronization products will be demonstrated at Supercomm '96 in Dallas, June 25-27, Booth No. 6256.

These new network-timing solutions are designed to help eliminate many of the problems associated with transmitting data or images over telephone lines, such as dropped fax lines and modem disconnects, and the problems stemming from handing off the cellular calls from one base station to another that also can result in dropped calls. (See related press release titled: "HP Introduces Custom Network Timing Solution for Wireless Base Stations").

"As wireline and wireless telephone service providers move from analog to digital networks, network synchronization becomes critical to help ensure service reliability," said J. Martin Neil, general manager of HP's Santa Clara Division. "HP is working closely with carriers to help them plan and equip their growing networks to maximize uptime and maintain high-quality service."

By combining its expertise in time standards and open systems with its worldwide team of network engineers, HP provides what it believes are first-to- market solutions designed specifically for today's digital communication networks. In addition to providing compact hardware and software systems that are easy to upgrade and require little maintenance, HP provides network consulting services to help customers design and operate well-timed networks. HP also troubleshoots networks with synchronization problems.

TIMING IS EVERYTHING

The HP 55300A primary reference source (PRS), the HP 55400A network-synchronization unit (NSU) and the HP 58000 Series custom-timing module are the industry's first network-timing products to add intelligence to Global Positioning System (GPS) time-reference signals and the oscillator backup clock. The result is a new, affordable strategy for network timing, called HP SmartClock technology, in which very accurate, cesium-quality GPS timing modules are placed at every network node or hub office. HP SmartClock technology achieves near-cesium quality at one-tenth the cost of cesium and near-rubidium quality at one-third its cost.

Since the 1960s, cesium and rubidium have been used as elements in atomic clocks to synchronize time. HP is the worldwide leader in cesium-based atomic clocks. Cesium is the world's most accurate type of atomic clock, while the metallic element rubidium costs less but also is far less precise.

Using HP SmartClock technology, HP has improved the reliability of the GPS timing system. When locked to a reference signal, HP SmartClock technology compares the frequency of the unit's oscillator to the reference signal and uses this information to adjust the oscillator's frequency to match the reference signal. HP SmartClock technology automatically switches a node's timing system to intelligent holdover mode if the reference signal is lost and also evaluates GPS information to eliminate incorrect signal data.

The combination of GPS and HP SmartClock-based solutions will provide carriers with the accurate timing needed to successfully deploy on a large scale the ISDN(1), video and other broadband data services that are in demand by consumers.

AFFORDABLE TIMING SOLUTIONS

The HP 55300A PRS provides a highly reliable, low-cost source of accurate timing or frequency for both wireline and wireless networks. Because of the unit's low cost, telephone carriers can afford to install accurate timing throughout their networks. The HP 55300A performance meets or exceeds the standards established by the ITU(2) and ANSI(3). When locked to GPS, the HP 55300A PRS provides frequency accuracy for a one-day average of less than 1x10(-12), exceeding ANSI's level one requirement of 1x10(-11). During holdover, the HP 55300A PRS meets ANSI's level two requirement of less than 1x10(-10) per day.

The HP 55400A NSU is a modular timing-distribution system -- commonly known as an SSU(5) -- that supplies accurate synchronization signals to all equipment within a wireline network node or office. Designed to exceed industry standards, the HP 55400A is fully redundant and tracks up to five incoming reference signals from higher or equal levels of the network. The unit boasts an open design for easy integration with network- management software such as those based on HP OpenView, HP's network-management platform. It then selects the most accurate signal based on criteria programmed by the user and filters and distributes a precise signal to the node's equipment. The standard NSU(6) is available using the HP double-oven quartz oscillator for level two performance. HP also manufactures NSUs for level three performance.