Adtran and Iridium strengthen PNT resilience in Europe and Asia-Pacific

News summary:

• As cyber threats to GNSS grow, network operators are turning to alternative sources of positioning, navigation and timing data
• Adtran’s Oscilloquartz solutions now support Iridium® STL services as part of a zero-trust architecture, delivering precise, secure timing via low-Earth orbit satellites
• Customers from 5G mobile operators to the defense sector can select STL services to ensure ultimate defense against GNSS vulnerabilities

Adtran, in partnership with Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: IRDM), today announced the European and Asia-Pacific launch of its synchronization solutions featuring Iridium® Satellite Time and Location (STL) technology, a significant step in countering growing threats to Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). Adtran’s OSA 5405-S PTP compact grandmaster clock with STL capabilities and its OSA 5400 STL module are now available to timing network operators in Western Europe, major countries in Eastern Europe, Turkey, and parts of Asia-Pacific, including the majority of Southeast Asia, Japan and South Korea. The solutions enhance the resilience and reliability of critical infrastructure, such as 5G networks, defense systems and many more. Leveraging low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites to deliver precise and secure positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services, the devices ensure continuous synchronization even in environments where GNSS is compromised. As a certified Iridium partner, Adtran offers the technology through two distinct purchasing options: an annual service license for optimal flexibility or bundled with equipment for long-term financial planning.

“The weakness of GNSS signals is increasingly being exploited to create serious problems. As Europe, APAC and the rest of the world have become more dependent on PNT data, attacks on GNSS have only escalated, creating an urgent need to pivot away from the exclusive use of these satellites,” said Michael O’Connor, executive vice president of PNT at Iridium. “By integrating our STL service into Adtran Oscilloquartz devices and making it available across much of Europe and key areas of APAC, we’re providing network operators with valuable new options. They can choose to use our solution as a primary source of timing data in indoor environments, or they can leverage our secure, high-strength LEO signals as a backup source of PNT information when GNSS is unavailable. This offers the strongest ever safeguard against the threats that compromise so many aspects of our daily lives.”

Iridium® STL services harness the power of LEO satellites to transmit encrypted signals that are 1,000 times stronger than those of GNSS, significantly reducing vulnerability to disruptions and manipulation. The technology excels in challenging environments like urban canyons and indoor areas and can penetrate deep into buildings without the need for rooftop antennas. STL services are now a key feature of Adtran’s Oscilloquartz product lineup. The versatile OSA 5405-S PTP grandmaster clock supports STL time services and multi-constellation GNSS, as well as various other timing sources, all within a zero-trust architecture that leverages multiple diverse timing sources for enhanced resilience. Additionally, the OSA 5400 STL module extends these advanced STL/GNSS receiver capabilities to third-party equipment requiring timing, enabling precise, robust synchronization for a wide range of applications.

We're bringing the benefits of Iridium's STL services to critical timing infrastructures across the world. Gil Biran, GM of Oscilloquartz at Adtran

“We partnered with Iridium to bring the benefits of its STL services to critical timing infrastructure around the world because we share a common goal. We’re committed to making PNT networks as resilient and secure as possible. STL is a powerful solution for fortifying zero-trust architecture and ensuring reliable PNT even when GPS signals fail, making it ideal for both indoor and challenging outdoor locations. By empowering operators of mission-critical networks to access reliable timing in the most demanding environments, we’re also eliminating the need to install outdoor antennas and core through concrete, significantly reducing expenses,” commented Gil Biran, GM of Oscilloquartz, Adtran. “We’re excited to bring these advantages to so many more customers across Europe and APAC. Today’s announcement marks a significant advancement for the network operators and people of these regions, whose daily lives increasingly depend on robust PNT.”

Adtran is making STL services readily available in ways that perfectly align with the evolving needs of modern network infrastructures, offering two purchasing models designed to maximize operational flexibility and support financial planning. The ‘opex model’ provides an annual service license, which is ideal for operators that need adaptable yearly budgeting. Conversely, the ‘capex model’ bundles STL services with essential equipment for 3, 5 or 10 years, facilitating cost amortization similar to traditional GNSS systems. These options make the benefits of LEO satellite signals – whether as a robust primary timing source or a highly reliable backup to GNSS – accessible to sectors where reliable and secure PNT is paramount, including 5G, data centers, smart grids and defense.