Date: 17/11/2009

Zarlink's ToP technology for synchronization of the femtocells

Zarlink has announced new technology to advance Femtocell implementation. Zarlink through its new ToP algorithm and Timing Protocol software solution ,it is offering low cost synchronization for femtocells.

Timing over Packet (ToP) technology from Zarlink supports both IEEE1588-2008 and NTPv4 protocols for femtocell access points

Femtocells extend cellular base stations inside residential and enterprise environments, so that better wireless network coverage is achieved in areas where access is limited. Femtocells also reduce backhaul system costs for mobile communication service providers by routing wireless voice and data traffic through the customer's broadband connection. Infonetics Research estimates the femtocell market to reach 68.6 million units by 2013.

"Femtocells represent a significant opportunity for our network synchronization solutions, with large carriers now launching femtocells worldwide," said Jamileh Davoudi, product line marketing manager with Zarlink's Timing and Synchronization group. "Combining our packet network timing expertise with field-proven products from a leading femtocell chip supplier, such as picoChip, enables us to deliver reliable solutions that will allow manufacturers to develop a new range of products that support reduced development deployment costs and power requirements."

ToP technology offers frequency accuracy performance of better than 50 parts per billion (ppb) to align the femtocell timing signals with the cellular network. Zarlink says the other competing solutions rely on costly high-precision crystal oscillators or less reliable indoor global positioning systems (GPS).

Zarlink's new femtocell specific ToP algorithm and software can be ported into processor and SoC devices from multiple vendors.

Availability: Both IEEE1588 precision time protocol (PTP) and network timing protocol (NTP) solutions for WCDMA to picoChip customers for porting to the PC302 and PC312 devices in early 2010.

For more details visit www.zarlink.com