Integrated GNSS Grandmaster (IGM) Portfolio

While time synchronization has always been essential for wireless networks to function, requirements have evolved dramatically as operators increase small cell use and optimize spectrum usage to enable 4.5G, 4.9G and 5G network capabilities. Accurate phase synchronization is now increasingly critical to support new features and services in these networks. For example, coordination between base stations for broadcast video delivery and interference mitigation between macro base stations and small cells in dense deployments drive the need for strict phase specifications.

With technology innovations engineered to address these challenges, Microsemi offers a portfolio of small form factor IEEE 1588 PTP grandmasters to deliver a cost-effective, precise timing master exactly where it’s needed, such as small cells and backhaul to eNodeBs for wireless service delivery at the LTE network edge. Microsemi’s IGM 1588 grandmasters integrate both GNSS antenna and GNSS receiver, eliminating the need for an outdoor antenna and cabling.

The IGM’s latest release 3.0 software and new hardware model (IGM Plus) enables deployment of these smaller grandmasters at the very edge of mobile networks, lowering operator costs and improving customer experience with enhanced coverage and performance. Easily installed indoors or outdoors, in-building or in cabinets or huts, the IGM grandmaster family serves operators preparing for 5G through densification, along with enterprises seeking enhanced indoor capacity and coverage on LTE and LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) networks.

IGM and IGM Plus for External GNSS Antenna: 1100x

In certain scenarios, there may be a pre-existing GNSS antenna in a location where the GNSS cabling would be short enough to be inexpensive and easily installed. In such a situation, the most cost-effective solution is to deliver precise time and phase with a low-cost IEEE 1588 PTP grandmaster connected to the external GNSS antenna.

Key Benefits

Leverages existing GNSS antennas when available
Small form factor 1588 PTP grandmaster
Enables most cost-effective mini grandmaster deployments at the very edge of mobile networks
Plug-and-play features reduce deployment time and cost
Best-in-class sync solution
Serves precise time and phase to locations such as racks, small buildings, huts, and cabinets
Deployment flexibility (small size, wall or ceiling mount, and indoor)

Key Features

Small form factor with single 1 GbE RJ45 port
Supported PTP profiles: ITU-T G.8265.1, ITU-T G.8275.1 (L2 multicast), ITU-T G8275.2 (L3 unicast), Telecom 2008 and Ethernet default
One-step and two-step clock
Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE) input and output
Unique ability to provide GPS backup by accepting PTP input
APTS, asymmetry compensation
Primary Reference Time Clock (PRTC) compliant
Increased PTP client scalability to a maximum of 60
IPv4 and IPv6 support for both PTP and OAM/Management
Cable compensation to address GPS cable length
802.1Q VLANS
GNSS receiver
GPS, Glonass, Beidou, Galileo, QZSS, and SBAS
Time to First Fix (TTFF) of 10 minutes to less than one hour until system lock

Outdoor Integrated Grandmaster IGM and IGM Plus: 1100o

Building materials, low GNSS signal strength or other constraints sometimes interfere with indoor small cell synchronization using GNSS PTP grandmaster timing systems. Solving this challenge is Microsemi’s outdoor integrated grandmaster, the IGM 1100o. Like the indoor version, this compact IGM grandmaster delivers precise time indoors to serve indoor small cells. However, IGM 1100o is ruggedized to support a wider temperature range, so that it can be installed on a building rooftop, instead of an interior wall or ceiling.

Key Benefits

Reduced installation costs and simplified cabling
Plug-and-play features reducing deployment time and cost
Ruggedized temperature support, capable of providing precise time in environmentally challenged settings
Best-in-class synchronization solution for phase requirements at the edge of mobile networks

Key Features

Small form factor with single 1 GbE RJ45 port
Supported PTP profiles: ITU-T G.8265.1 (L3 unicast), ITU-T G.8275.1 (L2 multicast), ITU-T G8275.2 (L3 Unicast), Telecom 2008 and Ethernet default
One-step and two-step clock
Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE) input, output
Unique ability to provide GPS backup by accepting PTP input
Increased PTP client scalability to a maximum of 60
Primary Reference Time Clock (PRTC) compliant
IPv6 support for 1588 traffic and OAM/Management
802.1Q VLANs
Integrated GNSS receiver
GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, QZZ, and SBAS
Cable compensation to address GPS cable length

Indoor Universal IGM and IGM Plus: 1100i

Synchronizing indoor small cell operations typically requires a high-accuracy timing receiver nearby and often a complicated GNSS antenna installation to support a relatively few number of small cells. Microsemi’s revolutionary integrated GNSS grandmaster (IGM) solves this problem of delivering precise GNSS-based time indoors where GPS signals usually cannot be received. The IGM fully integrates a 1588 PTP grandmaster with a GNSS receiver and antenna in a small, fully contained package designed for easy installation on an interior wall or ceiling.

Key Benefits

Reduced installation costs and simplified cabling
Enhanced indoor GNSS performance, capable of receiving GNSS signals when deployed indoors and/or in deep urban canyons
Plug-and-play features to reduce deployment cost and time
Deployment flexibility (small size, wall or ceiling mount)
Best-in-class synchronization for indoor small cell deployments
Reliability

Key Features

Small form factor with single 1 GbE RJ45 port
Supported PTP profiles: ITU-T G.8265.1 (L3 unicast), ITU-T G.8275.1 (L2 multicast), ITU-T G8275.2 (L3 Unicast), Telecom 2008 and Ethernet default
One-step and two-step clock
Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE) input and output
Unique ability to provide GPS backup by accepting PTP input
APTS and asymmetry compensation
IPv4 and IPv6 support (PTP and OAM/Management)
Maximum 32 PTP clients
License control
802.1Q VLANS
GNSS receiver with assisted GNSS support
GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, QZSS, and SBAS
Time to First Fix (TTFF) of 10 minutes to less than 1 hour until system lock
Primary Reference Time Clock (PRTC) compliant
Cable compensation to address GPS cable length

Literature
Videos

Literature

Data Sheets

IGM-1100x
IGM-1100o
IGM-1100i

Videos

Overview

While time synchronization has always been essential for wireless networks to function, requirements have evolved dramatically as operators increase small cell use and optimize spectrum usage to enable 4.5G, 4.9G and 5G network capabilities. Accurate phase synchronization is now increasingly critical to support new features and services in these networks. For example, coordination between base stations for broadcast video delivery and interference mitigation between macro base stations and small cells in dense deployments drive the need for strict phase specifications.

With technology innovations engineered to address these challenges, Microsemi offers a portfolio of small form factor IEEE 1588 PTP grandmasters to deliver a cost-effective, precise timing master exactly where it’s needed, such as small cells and backhaul to eNodeBs for wireless service delivery at the LTE network edge. Microsemi’s IGM 1588 grandmasters integrate both GNSS antenna and GNSS receiver, eliminating the need for an outdoor antenna and cabling.

The IGM’s latest release 3.0 software and new hardware model (IGM Plus) enables deployment of these smaller grandmasters at the very edge of mobile networks, lowering operator costs and improving customer experience with enhanced coverage and performance. Easily installed indoors or outdoors, in-building or in cabinets or huts, the IGM grandmaster family serves operators preparing for 5G through densification, along with enterprises seeking enhanced indoor capacity and coverage on LTE and LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) networks.

IGM and IGM Plus for External GNSS Antenna: 1100x

In certain scenarios, there may be a pre-existing GNSS antenna in a location where the GNSS cabling would be short enough to be inexpensive and easily installed. In such a situation, the most cost-effective solution is to deliver precise time and phase with a low-cost IEEE 1588 PTP grandmaster connected to the external GNSS antenna.

Key Benefits

Leverages existing GNSS antennas when available
Small form factor 1588 PTP grandmaster
Enables most cost-effective mini grandmaster deployments at the very edge of mobile networks
Plug-and-play features reduce deployment time and cost
Best-in-class sync solution
Serves precise time and phase to locations such as racks, small buildings, huts, and cabinets
Deployment flexibility (small size, wall or ceiling mount, and indoor)

Key Features

Small form factor with single 1 GbE RJ45 port
Supported PTP profiles: ITU-T G.8265.1, ITU-T G.8275.1 (L2 multicast), ITU-T G8275.2 (L3 unicast), Telecom 2008 and Ethernet default
One-step and two-step clock
Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE) input and output
Unique ability to provide GPS backup by accepting PTP input
APTS, asymmetry compensation
Primary Reference Time Clock (PRTC) compliant
Increased PTP client scalability to a maximum of 60
IPv4 and IPv6 support for both PTP and OAM/Management
Cable compensation to address GPS cable length
802.1Q VLANS
GNSS receiver
GPS, Glonass, Beidou, Galileo, QZSS, and SBAS
Time to First Fix (TTFF) of 10 minutes to less than one hour until system lock

Outdoor Integrated Grandmaster IGM and IGM Plus: 1100o

Building materials, low GNSS signal strength or other constraints sometimes interfere with indoor small cell synchronization using GNSS PTP grandmaster timing systems. Solving this challenge is Microsemi’s outdoor integrated grandmaster, the IGM 1100o. Like the indoor version, this compact IGM grandmaster delivers precise time indoors to serve indoor small cells. However, IGM 1100o is ruggedized to support a wider temperature range, so that it can be installed on a building rooftop, instead of an interior wall or ceiling.

Key Benefits

Reduced installation costs and simplified cabling
Plug-and-play features reducing deployment time and cost
Ruggedized temperature support, capable of providing precise time in environmentally challenged settings
Best-in-class synchronization solution for phase requirements at the edge of mobile networks

Key Features

Small form factor with single 1 GbE RJ45 port
Supported PTP profiles: ITU-T G.8265.1 (L3 unicast), ITU-T G.8275.1 (L2 multicast), ITU-T G8275.2 (L3 Unicast), Telecom 2008 and Ethernet default
One-step and two-step clock
Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE) input, output
Unique ability to provide GPS backup by accepting PTP input
Increased PTP client scalability to a maximum of 60
Primary Reference Time Clock (PRTC) compliant
IPv6 support for 1588 traffic and OAM/Management
802.1Q VLANs
Integrated GNSS receiver
GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, QZZ, and SBAS
Cable compensation to address GPS cable length

Indoor Universal IGM and IGM Plus: 1100i

Synchronizing indoor small cell operations typically requires a high-accuracy timing receiver nearby and often a complicated GNSS antenna installation to support a relatively few number of small cells. Microsemi’s revolutionary integrated GNSS grandmaster (IGM) solves this problem of delivering precise GNSS-based time indoors where GPS signals usually cannot be received. The IGM fully integrates a 1588 PTP grandmaster with a GNSS receiver and antenna in a small, fully contained package designed for easy installation on an interior wall or ceiling.

Key Benefits

Reduced installation costs and simplified cabling
Enhanced indoor GNSS performance, capable of receiving GNSS signals when deployed indoors and/or in deep urban canyons
Plug-and-play features to reduce deployment cost and time
Deployment flexibility (small size, wall or ceiling mount)
Best-in-class synchronization for indoor small cell deployments
Reliability

Key Features

Small form factor with single 1 GbE RJ45 port
Supported PTP profiles: ITU-T G.8265.1 (L3 unicast), ITU-T G.8275.1 (L2 multicast), ITU-T G8275.2 (L3 Unicast), Telecom 2008 and Ethernet default
One-step and two-step clock
Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE) input and output
Unique ability to provide GPS backup by accepting PTP input
APTS and asymmetry compensation
IPv4 and IPv6 support (PTP and OAM/Management)
Maximum 32 PTP clients
License control
802.1Q VLANS
GNSS receiver with assisted GNSS support
GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, QZSS, and SBAS
Time to First Fix (TTFF) of 10 minutes to less than 1 hour until system lock
Primary Reference Time Clock (PRTC) compliant
Cable compensation to address GPS cable length

Resources