Network time and frequency transfer with GNSS receivers located in time laboratories

In this paper we investigate a possible network solution, similar to the IGS analysis center solutions, that can be easily managed by a network of timing institutes to solve for all the clock differences (in addition to other quantities) in a unique system to understand the feasibility and the advantages of this approach in time and frequency transfer. The investigation is based on a suite of global navigation satellite system (GNSS) software products that allows the users to perform a wide range of calculations and analyses related to GNSS, from the evaluation of performances at the user level to the computation of precise GNSS orbits and clocks, including the calculation of precise receiver coordinates. The time and frequency transfer capabilities of the network solution (named ODTS) are evaluated and compared with PPP solutions as well as to other time transfer results.