Coordinated Universal Time Now

Time zone

• Used as a standard for other time zones all around the world.
• Not adjusted for the Daylight Saving Time.

The Coordinated Universal Time, abbreviated as UTC, is the primary standard time used all around the globe for the regulation of clocks and time. It is often referred to as the successor of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) because previously GMT was used as the standard time. 

Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is within 1 second of the mean solar time at a longitude of 0 degrees. It is never adjusted for the Daylight Saving Time (DST). Instead, other time zones are adjusted according to the UTC. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

When did the coordination of time and frequency transmission begin in the world?  

On January the 1st, 1960, the coordination of time and frequency transmission began worldwide. Consequently, in 1963, UTC was officially adopted as the standard frequency and time signal emissions but the the official abbreviation i-e UTC and the official name i-e Coordinated Universal Time was not adopted until 1967. 

What has been done to eliminate the leap seconds in the current Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)? 

Although there have been a lot of proposals put forward to eradicate the leap seconds from the current UTC by replacing it with a new system but so far, nothing has been done. And the decision to do so has been deferred until 2023. 

Who has defined the version of current UTC? 

International Telecommunication Union has defined the version of current UTC. It is basically based on the International Atomic Time (TAI) inclusive of leap seconds at irregular intervals to compensate for the difference between the atomic time and earth’s rotation time. 

Which institutions devised the abbreviation for Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and why? 

The discrepancy arose when English speakers used the abbreviation of CUT, and French speakers proposed TUC for the coordinated universal time, which led to confusion. So the International Telecommunication Union and the International Astronomical Union decided to use UTC as the abbreviation of the Coordinated Universal Time for all languages. 

How are time zones all over the world expressed in the current UTC format? 

Time zones are represented using positive or negative offsets from the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). For example, Pakistan standard time has an offset of UTC+5:00. 

Is London in the UTC time zone? 

London uses Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) as a standard time or British summer time as a Daylight Saving Time (UTC+01:00). 

Which is more accurate to use? GMT or UTC? 

UTC is considered more accurate than GMT because it uses the earth's rotation and atomic clocks for measurement. Unlike Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), it also does not adjust itself for the observance of Daylight Saving Time (DST). 

What are some uses of the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)? 

The Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is used in the aviation sector for flight scheduling and control. Weather forecasts and maps also use Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) to avoid confusion. Furthermore, international space stations and radio operators use UTC as a standard. 

Is India in the UTC time zone? 

Indian Standard Time (IST) is observed all over India, with an offset of UTC+05:30. This means that the current local time in India is 5 hours and 30 minutes ahead of the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). 

If you want to know the local time of any other country in the world, then click here and find out the local time of the country of your choice.