Network Identity and Time Zone (NITZ)[1] is a mechanism for provisioning local time and date, time zone and daylight saving time (DST) offset, as well as network provider identity information, to mobile devices via a wireless network.[2]

History

NITZ has been an optional part of the official GSM standard since phase 2+ release 96.[3]

NITZ is often used to automatically update the system clock of mobile phones.

In terms of standards and other timing or network access protocols such as NTP or CDMA2000, the quality and enforcement of NITZ is weak. This standard allows the network to "transfer its current identity, universal time, DST and LTZ"[1] but each is optional, and support across RAN vendor and operator varies. This presents a problem for device manufacturers, who are required to maintain a complex time zone database, rather than rely on the network operator. Additionally, unlike 3GPP2, which transmits GPS-sourced, millisecond resolution time via the sync channel, for NITZ, the "accuracy of the time information is in the order of minutes".[1] The optional nature of the delivery mechanism results in issues for users in regions that don't practice daylight saving but which share a time zone with a region that does. Most modern handsets have their own internal time zone software and will automatically perform a daylight saving advance. Because the NITZ delivery is not usually periodic but dependent on the handset crossing radio network boundaries, these handsets can be displaying incorrect time for many hours or even days before a NITZ update arrives and corrects them.

Carriers supporting NITZ

Initial list derived from ref:[4][unreliable source?]

Country Carrier NITZ available since Notes
 Australia Optus Y
 Australia Telstra Y
 Australia Three Y
 Azerbaijan Nar 2014
 Canada Rogers Y
 Canada SaskTel Y
 China China Mobile Y
Croatia A1 Y
 Czech Republic Telefónica O2 Y
 Czech Republic T-Mobile Y
 Czech Republic Vodafone Y
 France Bouygues Telecom Y
 France Free Y
 France Orange Y
 France SFR
 Finland DNA Y
 Finland Sonera Y (pre-2000)
 Germany Telefónica O2 2009 ref[5][6]
 Hong Kong PCCW Y
 Hong Kong SmarTone Y
 Hungary T-Mobile Y
 Italy Wind Y
 Malaysia U Mobile Y
 Mexico Telcel Y
 Netherlands KPN Y
 Netherlands Vodafone Y
 New Zealand 2degrees Y
 New Zealand Spark New Zealand Y
 New Zealand Vodafone Y
 Nigeria MTN Y
 Poland T-Mobile Y 2G and 3G
 Poland P4 Play Y 3G only
 Poland Plus (telecommunications Poland) Y 2G and 3G
 Poland Aero2 Y 2G and 3G
 Romania Zapp Y
 Romania Salt Y 3G only
 Russia MTS Y
 Sweden Telia Y
 Sweden Telenor Y
  Switzerland Sunrise Y
  Switzerland Swisscom Y
  Switzerland Salt Y
 Turkey Turkcell Y
 Turkey Vodafone Y
 Taiwan Chunghwa Telecom Y
 United Kingdom Telefónica O2 Y
 United Kingdom Vodafone Y ref[7]
 USA AT&T Y
 USA T-Mobile Y
 Norway <ALL> -
 Turkey Türk Telekom - ref[8]
 Australia Vodafone -
 China China Unicom -
 Poland Plus -
 Germany Telekom -
 Germany Vodafone -
 Japan SoftBank -
 Belgium Mobistar -
 Belgium Proximus -
 Mexico Movistar -
 Netherlands T-Mobile -
 Sweden Tele2 -
 Sweden 3 -
 United Kingdom EE (telecommunications company) -
 India BSNL -

References

  1. ^ a b c 3GPP TSG SA WG1—Services (12 September 2012). "Network Identity and TimeZone (NITZ); Service description; Stage 1". 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). Release 11. 3GPP. Retrieved 27 November 2013.((cite web)): CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ "Network Identity and Timezone (Nitz) Functionality for Non-3gpp Devices". Archived from the original on 17 February 2012. Retrieved 9 February 2009.
  3. ^ http://ftp.3gpp.org/tsg_sa/TSG_SA/TSGS_04/Docs/PDF/sp-99330.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  4. ^ "Daylight Saving Time and NITZ". www.howardforums.com. Archived from the original on 20 May 2010.
  5. ^ "O2 stellt Handy-Uhren übers Netz". 28 November 2009.
  6. ^ "Automatische Uhr im o2 Netz - Android-Hilfe.de". Archived from the original on 9 January 2010. Retrieved 27 January 2010.
  7. ^ "Medilarm Pro | Personal Alarm | Alarms for the Elderly | Elderly Alarms". Archived from the original on 16 October 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  8. ^ "Müşteri Memnuniyetinin Adresi - Şikayetvar".
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