Precise timing is crucial for high-speed Internet

- Ottawa, Ontario

Time is not something we always think about, but it's the structure for our daily routines whether at home or at work. But, did you know that time is also a crucial component in ensuring that our everyday Internet services such as e‑commerce, healthcare, education, and banking run securely and effectively?

The National Research Council of Canada's (NRC) High‑throughput and Secure Networks Challenge program is developing new and innovative technologies to allow fast and secure Internet services in rural and remote communities across Canada, and incorporating precise timing is a foundational requirement to enable these high bandwidth telecommunication services.

The Program has 4 corresponding research themes, including "network metrology and timing". This theme's mandate is to adopt existing NRC technology that can distribute high‑accuracy time signals across wide and remote geographic areas, which will help these new fast and secure telecommunication networks to effectively operate. Dr. Marina Gertsvolf, Team Leader with the NRC's Metrology Research Centre, and also the technical lead and a project manager of 2 projects under the Program, is working to bring the NRC TimeLink™ technology to remote and rural communities across Canada.

The NRC TimeLink™ will provide an accurate and reliable time signal to the local network operators, which will in turn allow them to distribute accurate timing directly to their Internet users. Dr. Gertsvolf is working with research institutes and network operators in northern Canadian communities, such as those in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, to establish NRC TimeLink™ dissemination sites at their facilities. "We will be able to provide improved Internet services to local infrastructure which could help local industry and government operations," said Gertsvolf. Through Dr. Gertsvolf's work, the High-throughput and Secure Networks Challenge program will integrate high-quality and precise time into their networks, and will also provide opportunities for training and engagement with the northern communities.

To learn more about the research and projects under the Program, visit High‑throughput and Secure Networks Challenge program

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