Systems, methods and devices for cellular synchronization references

An apparatus of a user equipment (UE), comprising:

• a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) interface coupled to a GNSS receiver;
• a wireless cellular interface configured to communicate with a peer UE;
• a processor coupled to the GNSS interface and wireless cellular interface, the processor configured to:
• determine available synchronization sources;
• select a GNSS synchronization source based at least in part on a priority rule;
• and
• transmit an indication of the GNSS synchronization source to the peer UE.

An apparatus of an evolved node B (eNB) comprising:

• a processor configured to:
• generate assistance information indicating a GNSS synchronization source;
• and
• establish phase, frequency or time synchronization information for delivery to a device in communication with the eNB.

A computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium storing program code for causing one or more processors to perform a method, the method comprising:

• determining available synchronization sources;
• selecting, based at least in part on a priority rule, a synchronization source from a set of synchronization sources for proximity services communication with a first user equipment (UE);
• communicate assistance information comprising the selected synchronization source to the UE;
• establishing a common timing based on the selected synchronization source reference;
• propagating the common timing to a second UE for which the selected synchronization source is unavailable.