The GPS network (Global Positioning System) has drastically altered the way people navigate and travel. It is utilised by airliners, marine farers and drivers alike and provides reliable and accurate positioning information anywhere on the globe.
Yet the technology that is behind this development in cartography is also the same technology that has enabled us to keep accurate and precise time.
The GPS system works by transmitting the positioning of each satellite along with a highly accurate time code generated by an onboard atomic clock. When a GPS receiver obtains three or more of these signals; it can then calculate its position by triangulation.
Atomic clocks are used because the transmissions travel at the speed of light and as light can travel nearly 300,000 km in a second then even a tiny inaccuracy could lead to the positioning information being hundreds of miles out (and therefore useless).
However, for those requiring a time source to synchronise their computer networks too then GPs is an ideal source. While not strictly speaking UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) it is easy for a dedicated NTP GPS server (Network Time Protocol) to convert GPS time to UTC as they are both based on International Atomic Time (TAI).
An NTP GPS server can realistically keep all computers and devices on a network to within a few milliseconds of UTC time.