- A new cutting-edge timing network for the UK will
help keep critical services like phone networks and bank
transactions up and running
- £180 million programme to ease the UK's reliance on satellite
services, which can often be targeted and disrupted
- Strengthening British expertise in precision timing
will open up new high-skilled job opportunities,
and boost economic growth
The clocks and timing systems we all rely on
every day, underpinning phone
networks and online banking services, will be better
protected than ever thanks to new government investment
in the cutting-edge National Timing Centre
(NTC).
Accurate timekeeping is fundamental to our daily lives – keeping
our transport systems moving, allowing us to stay in touch
with loved ones, and ensuring emergency services can
get on the scene as quickly as possible.
At the moment, these all rely heavily on Global Navigation
Satellite Systems (GNSS), which beam
ultra-accurate timing signals from space, but are vulnerable to
disruption from attacks, jamming, and technical
malfunctions.
Recent incidents as part of the war in Ukraine have shown how
satellite signals can be deliberately disrupted, with jamming
attacks repeatedly interfering with
civilian aircraft and other critical services. An
outage impacting the UK could cost our economy some
£1.4 billion in the space of just 24 hours.
Coinciding with the start of British Science Week, the National
Timing Centre (NTC)
will now set to work on a new £180 million programme
to enhance UK resilience and safeguard our economy.
It will distribute the resilient timing signal free over air, via
internet and by fibre. When existing systems fail, the National
Timing Centre (NTC)
will be there to support vital digital infrastructure.
The funding will also help build
British expertise in precision timing training,
creating new opportunities for graduates, apprentices and, over
time, PhD‑level
training. This will ensure the UK has the skills needed to
maintain secure, reliable timekeeping, while backing innovative
British firms to scale up and drive national renewal.
Science Minister
said:
Accurate timekeeping is about more than
just keeping the clocks ticking, it is fundamental to
keeping the country running - from banking and staying in touch
with friends and family through to our emergency services having
the information they need.
The systems we rely on today are increasingly vulnerable to
disruption, which is why we're acting now to strengthen
the infrastructure we rely on every day.
This project will give us a safety net that will help protect our
national security, safeguard our economy, and give people the
confidence they need to go about their daily lives.
CEO of NPL, Pete Thompson
said:
At NPL we are proud to be
leading the way in providing trusted and assured timing to
protect and enhance the UK's digital infrastructure. This funding
ensures the NTC programme can deliver
huge benefits to industry and the economy, whilst underpinning
secure applications in the future.
Atomic clocks work by using the energy of atoms which allows them
to produce and maintain an
exceptionally accurate timing signal.
They already play a huge role across a range of critical
services. 5G stations for example use atomic timing signals to
ensure thousands of devices can transmit in
perfectly‑coordinated time slots, preventing interference to
keep networks and the country running smoothly.
Led by the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), the National
Timing Centre (NTC) will create an
alternative to satellite timing technology, which will help keep
our economy, public services, and transport networks moving, even
in the face of the most severe disruption.
As part of the programme announced today, 2 dedicated sites will
now harness the power of these machines to share signals via
fibre, satellites and radio waves - meaning systems no
longer have to depend on any single
location or on transmission which are easier to
disrupt.
The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is already working
with companies across the UK to see how these atomic
clocks could also be put to use, exploring new
applications in everything from navigation and communication to
improved radar systems.
It comes as part of British Science Week, a ten-day celebration
of science, technology, engineering and maths in the
UK. Later in the week Science and Technology Secretary will address the Royal Society's ‘Women and the
future of science' event where she will celebrate the
contribution of women to British science.
Notes to editors
-
This investment follows a successful R&D phase undertaken
by NPL which ended in
March 2025
-
During this phase state of the art, ground-based
facilities and a dedicated software environment were
designed, developed and tested to ensure the
feasibility of the National Timing Centre (NTC)
