Rakon, a global technology leader in the frequency control and timing industry, is demonstrating its industry-first long-holdover solution for advanced radio networks and telecom data centres at MWC Barcelona 2024. The Error Exchange OCXO (MercuryX E2) is a variant of Rakon’s newly released MercuryX small form factor IC-OCXO. It enhances the existing synchronization capabilities on a network synchronizer evaluation board by adding frequency error exchange processing and ageing compensation to the system – doubling the holdover performance.
Rakon Head of Product Management, Reza Sedehi, says the Error Exchange OCXO is Rakon’s latest groundbreaking innovation and the first synchronization solution of its kind.
“Phase synchronization holdover is essential in 5G DUs, RAN, radios and telecom data centres as it reduces the overall operational cost for mobile carriers,” says Sedehi.
“Traditionally, clocks performing close to 24-hour holdover are bulky, power-hungry and expensive. The Error Exchange OCXO is an elegant solution that will result in smaller, low-power reference clocks for cost-effective system-level synchronisation. Our new solution will be particularly of value for O-RAN equipment vendors who look for turnkey, cost-effective and miniaturised solutions.”
Error Exchange Synchronisation is a technique designed to significantly enhance the capability of OCXO holdover (up to twice the performance) by using a network processor and a synchronisation PLL, typically available in IEEE 1588 implementations.
The PLL and the processor calculate the error between the OCXO frequency and the 1 PPS signal, then feed it back to the OCXO for ageing compensation. The OCXO combines the frequency residual error due to temperature variations and ageing compensated error and feeds it back into the processor for system frequency correction. The E2OCXO concept enables Rakon OCXOs to achieve 8 hours of holdover under real-world conditions in a compact 7 x 5 mm package.
The Mercury E2OCXO is in the prototyping stage and will be available in 14 x 9, 9 x 7 and 7 x 5 mm packages. Samples of the 14 x 9 package will be available mid-2024. Rakon will be demonstrating the solution at MWC Barcelona on Wednesday 28 February 2024.
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