NPL at the Royal Institution of Great Britain

National Timing Centre programme (NTC)

Resilient time for the future

Assured Time and Frequency for the UK

The National Timing Centre programme (NTC), led by NPL, has started to develop the UK’s first nationally distributed time infrastructure. As the UK’s timing authority, it enables the UK to move away from reliance on GNSS and deliver resilient UK time and frequency that provides confidence to our Critical National Infrastructure.

More resilient and reliable time and frequency signals will accelerate innovation in new technologies such as smart grids, time-critical 5G and 6G applications, factories of the future, smart cities and connected autonomous vehicles.

Watch our animation and learn how NTC is supporting industry sectors, reducing the reliance on GNSS and providing secure nationally distributed time for the UK.

To learn more and be involved in the National Timing Centre programme, contact us:

Stay up to date

Fragile Times: Why accurate and resilient time-keeping is critical

Join us at the Royal Institute for the first in our series of lectures

Register now

Free e-learning courses

Introduction to Clock Performance

Introduction to Time & Frequency Measurement

Learn why UK industry and society require increasingly precise time

Time: the invisible utility that underpins infrastructure and systems to keep the world turning.

Let us help you innovate

The National Timing Centre programme (NTC) has announced three new innovation nodes. Each node will provide a combination of traceable timing signals and laboratory space for industry R&D, testing and validation of products and applications.

Read the announcement

Time really is money

Read our Science in Parliament article on how NPL is assuring the most accurate, traceable timestamping in the Fintech Industry. Credit - with permission of the Parliamentary & Scientific Committee.

Telehouse podcast -
What does time mean for business?

Listen to the Making Connections podcast series in which NPL’s Leon Lobo and Ali Ashkhasi discuss time-as-a-service with Nick Layzell, Client Services Director at Telehouse.

Telehouse is a provider of data centre colocation services with global connectivity and reach. The Telehouse London Docklands campus hosts Europe's most carrier-dense data center ecosystem, including leading internet exchanges, cloud service providers and ISPs.

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Listen on Spotify

NTC podcast

Listening to the voice of industry

The National Timing Centre has recently surveyed key UK industry players to highlight their timing issues and common challenges in different sectors

Download the report

News and press

NTC In the News

Learn how the National Timing Centre will not only improve the UK’s time infrastructure but will develop skills in the field of time and frequency and foster innovation and enterprise for industry.

Read news

NTC Webinars

Listen to our National Timing Centre presentations which explore how trusted and assured time will be distributed across the UK and how it can support your business. Watch the latest webinar in the series:

Watch more webinars on YouTube

Our Time and Frequency research

We provide customers and partners with access to trusted and reliable time, and push the boundaries of timing technologies

Research

Our Time and Frequency services

A reliable source of timing and synchronisation standards and services

Services