A synchronized radio system without stable clock sources
S.T.S. Chia, W.C.Y. Lee · IEEE Personal Communications · 2001
Synchronization is a vital process for mobile system operations. Yet, in practice, it is not always convenient to derive timing information from stable clock sources. We discuss the inter-base-station timing mechanisms evolved for the two third-generation system proposals CDMA2000 and WCDMA. From the discussion, we review the merits and limitations of both approaches and highlight an alternative method based on self-synchronization. By using self-synchronization in third-generation systems, we can avoid the need for compromising performance through the adoption of asynchronous radio system design.