The BOOSTED project (Belgium Optical network for Optical frequency Standards and TimE Dissemination) for transferring time and frequency signals over the Belnet network and for which Belnet is working in partnership with the Royal Observatory of Belgium (ROB), started just over a year ago. So it's time to take stock.
Test lab
Over the past year, Belnet and ROB have been hard at work designing and validating the system in a test environment. In this test lab, the Belnet backbone and ScienceMAN network were recreated on the one hand, and the T&F infrastructure on the other. We wanted to check that the T&F signal was not too attenuated when transported over the network, and that it had no negative impact on our data traffic.
The tests fully confirmed the compatibility of the T&F signals with the data traffic passing over the DWDM backbone. No packet loss was observed during the entire test phase, and the transfer of T&F signals went smoothly.
The possibility of extending the transfer outside DWDM architecture was also analyzed during the test phase. No loss of T&F signal was observed, but the test demonstrated the need to optimize the design of filters between active equipment so that they can also be used directly on “last miles”. A fruitful collaboration with the supplier led to the development of a completely new design, the first prototypes of which have been available since January, enabling us to plan the validation of this final piece of the network in the coming weeks.
Product development
We have also started developing a BTFS (Belgian Time & Frequency) service in 2024 that builds on the BOOSTED project, namely the provision of a time signal based on the White Rabbit protocol (IEEE 1588 - 2019). The service uses optical fiber to carry timing signals in parallel with existing data traffic on the same fiber, thanks to multiplexing.
The telecoms and energy sectors are already showing concrete interest in this service, but because of its high accuracy compared with GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), applications are also possible in quantum communications, self-driving vehicles, high-speed commerce, smart grids, etc.
Workshop
March 20 afternoon, ROB is organizing a workshop in collaboration with Belnet, during which we will explain the project from a technical point of view, but in which we certainly also want to explain in more detail the use cases within BOOSTED and the possible applications after the project.
If you would like to take part in this workshop, please register here. More details will follow later.