Method and apparatus for latency monitoring

A method for use in a second node of a transport network for supporting latency monitoring in the transport network, the transport network transporting traffic to and from at least one wireless base station, the transport network comprising a first node and the second node, the method comprising:

• receiving a communication signal which carries data for the at least one wireless base station, the communication signal comprising a payload having multiple parts and the data including a data element;
• extracting information representative of a first timestamp from the communication signal, the first timestamp representing a time at which the data element was received at the first node;
• receiving an indication of an association between the information representative of the first timestamp and a part of the payload that the information representative of the first timestamp relates to;
• and
• determining a second timestamp representing a time at which the data element is received at the second node.

An apparatus for supporting latency monitoring at a first node of a transport network, the transport network transporting traffic to and from at least one wireless base station, the transport network comprising the first node and a second node, the apparatus comprising a processing circuitry and a memory, the memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry such that the apparatus is operative to:

• determine a first timestamp representing a time at which a data element is received at the first node;
• add information representative of the first timestamp to a communication signal for sending to the second node, the communication signal comprising a payload carrying data for the at least one wireless base station, the payload having multiple parts and the data including the received data element;
• and
• send an indication of an association between the information representative of the first timestamp and the data element that the information representative of the first timestamp relates to, wherein the indication of the association indicates a part of the payload where the data element to which the first timestamp relates is carried.

An apparatus for supporting latency monitoring at a second node of a transport network, the transport network transporting traffic to and from at least one wireless base station, the transport network comprising a first node and the second node, the apparatus comprising a processing circuitry and a memory, the memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry such that the apparatus is operative to:

• receive a communication signal which carries data for the at least one wireless base station, the communication signal comprising a payload having multiple parts and the data including a data element;
• extract information representative of a first timestamp from the communication signal, the first timestamp representing a time at which the data element was received at the first node;
• receive an indication of an association between the information representative of the first timestamp and a part of the payload that the information representative of the first timestamp relates to;
• and
• determine a second timestamp representing a time at which the data element is received at the second node.