Brilliant Telecom

With the growing demand for bandwidth, next-generation telecommunication service providers are migrating towards a converged packet-switched infrastructure extending from the core to edge of the network. This evolution is particularly evident within mobile networks where operators are attempting to reduce operational costs. Such cost reductions are accomplished by introducing an IP/Ethernet based infrastructure which extends from the Mobile Switching Center (MSC) all the way to the radio basestations at the network edge. Although the migration towards such next-generation mobile backhaul architecture provides significant benefits, it also presents a number of challenges to service providers. One of the key challenges is to ensure critical synchronization of all network elements is maintained when migrating from circuit-switched (i.e., TDM, SDH/SONET) to packet-switched (i.e., IP) technologies.



With deep-rooted experience in IP technologies, Brilliant has developed a broad portfolio of products specifically designed to address the complex timing and synchronization requirements in today’s fast-paced networking environments. Our suite of products enhances operators’ competitiveness by improving service offerings and reliability, shortening provisioning times, and reducing capital and operational expenditures. The product portfolio includes PTP (NTP) grandmasters (servers) and slaves (clients) in the form of standalone devices as well as embedded solutions.



The Cern C-2000 is a Primary Reference Source that supports both PTP and NTP. The C-2000 uses GPS as a timing reference and serves PTP/NTP timing packets to slave clocks or clients situated at the network edge. The standard product uses an OCXO as the local oscillator and provides up to three days of holdover. For longer holdover times, a Rubidium-based oscillator option is available and can provide holdover for up to seven days. Besides serving timing packets, the C-2000 also provides eight BITS timing outputs, a 1 PPS output that is phase-aligned to GPS, a 10 MHz output and others. With its broad range of outputs, the C-2000 serves as a timing source for next-generation and legacy applications. The C-2000 is designed for industrial temperatures and is available in a 1-RU form factor as a 19-inch rack-mountable unit.



The BT-750 is a standalone slave clock that receives PTP/NTP timing packets from a grandmaster (such as the C-2000) and generates legacy timing (BITS) outputs for synchronizing equipment at cell sites. The standard BT-750 uses an OCXO as the local oscillator and provides up to three days of holdover. The synchronization algorithm has been tested for frequency and phase accuracy in a variety of network types including Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, xDSL and microwave networks across more than 10 hops. The synchronization performance in these tests exceeds the G.823 sync mask requirements with a significant margin. The BT-750 is available in a 1-RU form factor and takes up half a 19-inch rack, permitting two units to be co-located for redundancy purposes. The BT-750 also supports software options to double up as a non-intrusive network monitoring tool that provides useful information such as upstream and downstream network delays and jitter.

Brilliant’s embedded solutions include timing modules and FPGA-based software for deep integration into equipment such as routers, switches, basestations, etc.