5G Open RAN solutions rely on stringent time synchronization requirements for end-to-end latency and jitter. Timing synchronization has become a critical capability and now is fully available on COTS hardware using specific NICs with time synchronization support.

5G requires support of time synchronization accuracy across the whole network below 3 microseconds for Time-Division Duplex (TDD) carriers, and even more stringent when using MIMO or Carrier Aggregation. Contrary to non-Open RAN technologies, Frequency Division Duplex (FDD)
carriers also require stringent synchronization to sustain eCPRI-based fronthaul interface.

Silicom announce today a new STS4 TimeSync card with 12 ports 10/25G to ensure time precision on COTS hardware using PCIe NIC with Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE) and IEEE 1588v2 Precision Time Protocol (PTP). This breakthrough open the 5G market to any COTS (Commercial of the Shelf Server) vendor to become a based station provider.

Silicom’s STS4 TimeSync card capable to synchronize host system with external clock source using 1PPS and 10MHz. The STS TimeSync server adapter support both 1588v2/PTP and SyncE for high clock accuracy in Master and Slave mode. STS4 TimeSync card design is meeting O-RAN requirements for LLS-C1, LLS-C2 and LLS-C3, modes of operations with both Boundary and Transparent clocks.

Silicom STS line TimeSync card for 4G and 5G NIC enable real-time data transmission with high timing accuracy at the lowest cost to power 5G DRAN and CRAN edge deployments:

• Support 1588/PTP over IPv4 / IPV6, IEEE1588v2
• Support SyncE /ITU-T G.8262
• T-BC/T-TSC Boundary Clock and TSC Slave Clock /G.8273.2
• T-GM Grand Master /G.8273.1 per G.8275.1 PTP Profile
• PRTC Primary Reference Time Clock Class B/G.8272
• T-TC Transparent Clock /G.8273.3
• 1588 Software Stack and Servo Software in x86