Method and System for Synchronizing a Group of End-Terminals

A method for synchronizing the transmission of a stream of packets, wherein a synchronization unit is operable to communicate with a first network node and a second network node, the method comprising:

• the synchronization unit receiving a first arrival time information of a first packet in the stream arriving at the first network node;
• the synchronization unit receiving a second arrival time information of a second packet in the stream arriving at the second network node;
• based on the first arrival time information and the second arrival time information, the synchronization unit calculating delay information;
• and
• the synchronization unit providing at least one of the first network node and the second network node with the delay information, enabling one or more variable delay units in at least one of the first network node or the second network node to delay transmission of the stream to end terminals connected to at least one of the first network node or the second network node.

A method, wherein an network node is communicatively coupled to a synchronization unit, the method comprising:

• the network node transmitting an arrival time information of a first packet to the synchronization unit, wherein the first packet is from a stream of packets;
• the network node receiving a given delay information from the synchronization unit;
• and
• in response to receiving the given delay information, the network node delaying transmission of a second packet from the stream of packets substantially in accordance with the given delay information.

An article of manufacture including a non-transitory computer-readable medium having program instructions stored thereon that, if executed, causes the performance of operations for synchronizing transmission of a stream of packets, the operations comprising:

• receiving a first arrival time information of a first packet in the stream arriving at the first network node;
• receiving a second arrival time information of a second packet in the stream arriving at the second network node;
• based on the first arrival time information and the second arrival time information, calculating delay information;
• and
• providing at least one of the first network node and the second network node with the delay information, enabling one or more variable delay units in at least one of the first network node or the second network node to delay transmission of the stream to end terminals connected to at least one of the first network node or the second network node.