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For people, place, prosperity and planet, we deliver impact with measurement science.

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 National Physical Laborartory (NPL), is the body responsible for the UK’s first nationally distributed time infrastructure. The NTC enables the UK to move away from reliance on global navigation satellite system (GNSS) and deliver resilient UK time and frequency, providing confidence to our Critical National Infrastructure. 

The resilient and reliable time and frequency signals we are developing 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 we support 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

Join us for our upcoming webinar - Resilient time: Delivering impact for the UK

Find out more about how we're managing the UK's timescale to ensure confidence. Our experts will be discussing:

  • why the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is the home of time in the UK
  • how the National Timing Centre (NTC) programme will deliver the resilient time for the future
  • how NPL delivers impact for the UK with our time and frequency expertise
  • the capabilities of our NPLTime Certified®  and NPLTime Access®  services.

10 September

16:00 - 17:00 (UTC)

Resilient time: Delivering impact for the UK

Webinar

Register for webinar
 

What's next for the National Timing Centre

Dr Leon Lobo, head of NPL's National Timing Centre, explores how the centre will benefit the UK and what comes next following the R&D programme.

NTC news

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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
 

Free e-learning courses

Introduction to Clock Performance


Register here

Introduction to Time & Frequency Measurement


Register here

Why precise time-keeping is vital for society and industry

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

Read more
 

Government policy

NPL welcomes the UK Government's Policy Framework for greater PNT resilience.

Read more

NTC resources

Webinars, thought leadership, and more from the world of time and frequency.

Explore resources