In recent years industrial applications have imposed tighter constraints for the underlying clock synchronization. For example, the telecommunication industry requires ITU Class-D devices to deliver an accuracy within ±5 ns. Other industries have even lower requirements that approach ±1 ns.

There are some central issues that can be easily missed when looking at application requirements for clock synchronization.

Synchronize the clock

Synchronizing the clock to within the required accuracy is one thing, but all applications that require a tightly synchronized clock also need to utilize the clock in one way or another. Some applications use the clock for time measurements, e.g., timestamping single events. Other applications use the clock to trigger actions at precise points in time or generate periodic signals or clocks for other parts of the application. If the mechanisms for timestamping events and generating triggers are not kept on par with the mechanisms to synchronize the clock to within ±1 ns, every gain in accuracy is lost again as soon as you try to apply the accurate time to your application.

Use the synchronized clock without loss of accuracy

Our syn1588 technology stack makes sure that this is not the case and that you get the required accuracy to where you actually need it. Synchronizing the clock to the required accuracy is one thing, but all applications that require a tightly synchronized clock also need to utilize it in one way or another. Some applications use the clock for time measurements, e.g., timestamping single events. Others use it to trigger actions at precise points in time or generate periodic signals or clocks for other parts of the application. If the mechanisms for timestamping events and generating triggers are not kept on par with the mechanisms to synchronize the clock to within ±1 ns, every gain in accuracy is lost as soon as you try to apply the accurate time to your application. Our syn1588 technology stack ensures that this is not the case and that you get the required accuracy where you actually need it.

Understanding the customer requirements and providing the necessary solution

Another point easily missed is matching the application requirements to the necessary system components. Outfitting a system with all measures and components to achieve ±0.1 ns will also satisfy a requirement for ±2 ns, but can easily break the project budget or may not be possible at all. For example, currently available third-party party systems for ±1 ns or better accuracy are exclusively CERN White Rabbit based solutions. These are limited to 1 Gbit/s Ethernet line speed and would either require you to add a dedicated network for the synchronization or would not be feasible to realize at all.

Our syn1588 technology stack is already compatible with 100 MBit/s up to 100 GBit/s Ethernet line speed and will be expanded to support sub-nanosecond accuracy for these line speeds as well. The implementations for 1GBit/s and for 10GBit/s are already in their testing phases.

The journey to Nanosecond and sub-nanosecond accuracy

Preparations to bring the syn1588 technology to the next level, sub-nanosecond accuracy, have been running since early 2023 and culminated in August 2025 to the start of the "SubNanoForIndustry" project to deliver this to our existing and future customers and partners.

The SubNanoForIndustry project is funded by the FFG (www.ffg.at).

The FFG is the central national funding agency and strengthens Austria’s innovative capacity.