The Four Core Risks of Relying on legacy BITS Clocks Today
- The Reality of End-of-Life (EOL)
This is the most immediate concern. Major manufacturers have formally designated these systems as End-of-Life. That designation brings real consequences:
- No More Support: Software updates, security patches, and feature enhancements are no longer available.
- Dwindling Spares: Replacement cards and chassis are increasingly rare. Every hardware failure turns into a search for used parts from third parties, with no guarantees.
- Loss of Expertise: Fewer technicians have hands-on experience with these aging TDM systems, making troubleshooting more difficult.
- Inability to Support Modern Services (The Phase & Time Wall)
BITS clocks were built to distribute frequency, not phase or time-of-day synchronization. That’s a major limitation as next-generation services demand precision timing.
- 5G and LTE-A: Technologies like Fixed Wireless Access and LTE-Advanced require phase accuracy within ±1.5 microseconds. BITS clocks can’t deliver this.
- DOCSIS 4.0 and Remote PHY: These also require IEEE 1588/PTP for proper synchronization.
- In this context, your BITS system becomes a barrier—blocking deployment of services that generate revenue and meet current market demands.
- High Operational Costs (The OPEX Drain)
Maintaining a parallel timing infrastructure introduces hidden costs:
- Separate Systems: Power, cooling, and rack space are needed for both TDM and packet-based networks.
- Troubleshooting Complexity: When issues arise, it’s not always clear where the fault lies—packet, TDM, or the bridge between. This increases MTTR (Mean Time to Repair.)
- Manual Provisioning: Legacy BITS are often configured manually and circuit-specific, contrasting sharply with today’s automated, software-defined network practices.
- Architectural Rigidity
The traditional master-client hierarchy of BITS/TDM systems lacks resilience. A failure in the upper tier can cascade downward, affecting multiple layers. This design does not match the flexibility or redundancy of IP/MPLS and Ethernet-based timing networks.
The Path Forward: A Strategic, Phased Modernization
The best approach isn’t a disruptive rip-and-replace, but a phased migration to a unified, packet-based timing system using Precision Time Protocol (PTP). Syncworks offers a proven, low-risk three-phase method:
- Overlay and Integrate
We deploy a modern PTP Grandmaster that functions as a Primary Reference Time Clock (PRTC). It can simultaneously output the T1/E1/CC signals needed by your BITS system, instantly improving stability while PTP is deployed in parallel. - Migrate Services
Using high-density output panels, you can shift services one circuit at a time from the legacy BITS clock to the new Grandmaster. This occurs on your schedule, with no downtime. - Decommission with Confidence
Once migration is complete, the BITS system can be safely decommissioned. You’ll reduce complexity, cut OPEX, and eliminate EOL risk—without disrupting operations.
How Syncworks Helps You Identify and Eliminate Timing Risks
With decades of experience in synchronizing critical infrastructure and thousands of successful network transitions, Syncworks understands that reliable timing is non-negotiable. Our team of experts specializes in both legacy and modern synchronization architectures—GNSS, PTP, BITS, IRIG-B, and more—to help ensure your network is resilient, compliant, and ready for what’s next.
Our Critical Network Timing Assessment gives you direct access to senior timing engineers for a focused, vendor-neutral evaluation of your existing environment. In under an hour, we help you uncover hidden vulnerabilities, prioritize risk areas, and shape a path to modernization with confidence.
Don’t wait for timing issues to escalate into service disruptions.
Click here to schedule a consultation call with a timing expert today.
