Integration of time dissemination services via networks
- Toward the termination of “time dissemination service using http/https protocol”
NICT has been generating Japan Standard Time and has also been disseminating JST in various ways such as long wave, telephone JJY, hikari-telephone JJY and NTP. Although we have provided a trial service of time dissemination using http/https protocol in addition to NTP, we made our policy to integrate two services into NTP by the reason as stated later. Since July 2020, we have worked for about nine months toward the termination of the service, such as performing temporary break of service and anouncement of relevant information through the website.
Based on the above, time dissemination service through the internet which NICT provides will be NTP service only. The service using http/https will be terminated on March 31, 2022. We would appreciate your understanding.
There will be no impact on the following matters
✔ Most smartphone and PC apps which do not use NICT “time dissemination service via http/https protocol”
✔ Your computers and the following page that shows the time difference of your PC with respect to the standard time.
https://www.nict.go.jp/JST/JST5.html
✔ Our NTP* service will be operated as usual.
*NTP: A network protocol used to synchronize computers or various apparatus with a clock to a standard time.
As for the following matters which we have performed since July 2020, we will continue the effort as we used to do.
1. Temporary break of the service as notification to end users
Since we cannot reach each user of "Time dissemination service using http/https protocol", we will continue the temporal break to notify all users about the temination of service of March 31, 2021. Please confirm in the Notice of temporary break schedule.
(Past notice until April 2021)
＊ Regardless of this process, unexpected service disruption may occur due to excessive access to the server.
2. Disclosure of the sample code
The source code of the "time distribution using http/https" service will be available if you apply for it at the contact address. Users can build the original servers by using this program.
＊The program code should be adjusted for the user’s environment.
＊We will only accept inquiries about contents that are disclosed for now.
For further inquiries, we will consider to receive them as an offer to NICT technical consultation program.
https://www2.nict.go.jp/oihq/soudan/
3. Gathering of users’ feedbacks
We are gathering users’ feedbacks about the termination of the time dissemination service using http/https protocol.
Contact
Space-Time Standards Laboratory
Electromagnetic Standards Research Center, Radio Research Institute
National Institute of Information and Communications Technology
Mail address: 
The reason for integration
"Time dissemination service using http/https protocol" was a trial service developed for some limited users who couldn't reach NTP services due to the firewall when NTP was not such popular as these days. Recently however, time dissemination service using NTP has become standard on the internet and is available to the most users.
On the other hand, the number of access to the current system of time dissemination service using “http/https” has increased rapidly since around 2016 even though it had been established as just a trial service. In the latter half of 2018, temporary break due to excessive access occurred. Considering the limited budget and human resources, it will be in a difficult situation in the future to maintain both services by increasing capacity of the server and network. Also, we are concerned that further increase of access may cause a sudden stop and bring users significant damages if the service is continued with insufficient capability.
Based on the above, time dissemination service using http/https will be completely terminated on March 31, 2022. All users of this service are recommended to consider of using NTP service instead.