Method and apparatus for the synchronization of a system time of a communications network with a clock reference

A system and method for controlling a time synchronization relationship between a communications network time and a module located at a node connected to the communications network for providing a module reference time, the method including determining a time synchronization function is enabled, determining a time difference between the communications network time and the module reference time provided by the module, determining that the determined time difference is greater than a first limit, and less than or equal to a second limit; and gradually adjusting, automatically, the network communications network time to synchronize with the module reference time over a predetermined synchronization interval.