The accuracy with which system time can be distributed is dependent upon the number of links over which it is distributed and the operating rate of each of those links. A delay of at least 14 bit-periods (ESC + data character = 4 + 10 bits) is encountered for each link that the Time-Code traverses, due to the time taken for each link-interface on the way to receive a Time-Code. This gives rise to a time-skew across a network of Tskew = 14.S/A where S is the number of SpaceWire links traversed and A is the average link operating-rate. Jitter is also introduced at each link interface due to the variation in time spent waiting for the transmitter to finish transmitting the current character or control code. At each link interface a delay of 0 to 10 bit-periods can be encountered. Across a network, this gives rise to a total jitter of Tjitter = 10.S/A. For an average rate of 100 Mbit/s and 10 links traversed, the time skew is 1.4 µs and the jitter 1.0 µs. The skew and jitter may be higher than indicated above depending on the implementation of the link-interface. A time accuracy across a network of significantly better than 10 µs may be difficult to achieve, using the standard time-code mechanism.