Swiss positioning and wireless technology firm u-blox has taken a significant step in GNSS timing validation by integrating the nation's official timekeeping infrastructure into its test laboratory in Thalwil. The collaboration with the Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS) and Switch, operator of Switzerland's research and education network, provides u-blox with continuous access to a UTC-traceable reference, ensuring measurement traceability through an unbroken chain of calibrations. This development is crucial for GNSS timing technologies, whose performance depends on precise synchronization and validation against trusted references.
METAS realizes, maintains, and disseminates UTC(CH), Switzerland's contribution to Coordinated Universal Time, while Switch delivers the timing signal via a fiber-optic network using White Rabbit technology. White Rabbit, an Ethernet-based synchronization method originally developed at CERN, enables sub-nanosecond accuracy over networks. This integration allows u-blox to validate new hardware and software releases for GNSS timing receivers directly in its own lab, eliminating the need for repeated visits to external metrology facilities.
The infrastructure also supports long-term timing stability measurements over periods extending from weeks to months against a stable UTC-traceable reference, strengthening the development workflow for next-generation GNSS timing products. Samuli Pietilä, Director of Product Line Management for Timing and Infrastructure at u-blox, noted, "High-performance GNSS timing products depend on rigorous and traceable timing validation throughout the development cycle. This infrastructure allows us to validate and continuously improve GNSS timing receiver performance directly in our own laboratory against a UTC-traceable reference."
Jacques Morel, Head of the Laboratory Photonics, Time and Frequency at METAS, expressed satisfaction with the collaboration, stating, "We are pleased to support u-blox with our time dissemination service. This collaboration demonstrates how national metrology infrastructure can support advanced industrial applications requiring highly accurate synchronization, timing precision, and traceable validation against UTC references."
The timing infrastructure is now operational in the u-blox GNSS laboratory and will support ongoing development and validation activities. This initiative underscores the strength of Switzerland's precision technology ecosystem, combining national metrology expertise, optical timing infrastructure, and advanced GNSS technologies. For u-blox, this means faster validation cycles and more reliable timing products, which are critical for applications like telecommunications, power grids, and financial transactions that depend on precise time synchronization.
By bringing national time standards directly into its test lab, u-blox is not only enhancing its internal capabilities but also contributing to the broader adoption of robust timing solutions. The use of White Rabbit technology, which is gaining traction in industrial and scientific environments, positions u-blox to better serve markets where nanosecond-level accuracy is becoming a prerequisite.
For more information about u-blox, visit u-blox. Learn more about METAS at METAS and Switch at Switch.
