Broadband Over Powerline Communication

Smart Meters Australia

Broadband Powerline — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 20:10:00 +0000

NSW power utility Energy Australia is planning to test a new breed of advanced electricity meter with 10,000 customers as it moves to install a half-million so-called smart meters over the next two years.
To transmit the data, the advanced metering trial will also test several communications systems, including cellular wireless and broadband over powerline.
http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/

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ASM SpA Chooses MainNet's PLUS Solutions

Broadband Powerline — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 23:12:00 +0000

RAANANA, Israel, June 26 /PRNewswire/ -- MainNet, a market leader in BPL/PLC solutions, today announced the launch of AmrPLUS(TM) - the Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) system capable of remote operation via an existing power grid - extending the company's advanced, end-to-end BPL product line.
The new AmrPLUS was selected by ASM SpA, the Northern Italian electric company (listed on the Milan Stock Exchange as "ASM") for the largest multi-utility Broadband AMR project known to date, with a total value estimated at US$7.5m.
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/
2006/06/26/1695311.htm

Google and Current Communcations BPL

Broadband Powerline — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 03:28:00 +0000

Ethernet-over-powerline service provider Current Communications Group LLC has received "strategic investments" from some new big-name backers in the form of Goldman Sachs & Co., Google (Nasdaq: GOOG - message board), and The Hearst Corporation (see Google Backs Current Comms).
While Current says it's not revealing any financial details, the Wall Street Journal reported that the round, which included input from existing investors EnerTech Capital and Liberty Associated Partners, LP, was around $100 million.
Google is saying little about its involvement other than the following statement: "As part of our corporate mission, we are interested in promoting universal access to the internet for users. We support and partner with a variety of solutions for internet access."

Earthlink Broadband Over Power Line

Broadband Powerline — Fri, 17 Mar 2006 21:25:00 +0000

Introducing the latest in high-speed access, EarthLink Broadband over Power Line (BPL) high-speed service – powered by Con Edison and Ambient Corporation's Power Line Communication technology. With speeds up to 1-3Mbps (that’s 25x-60x faster than dial-up),* based on the average speed between a 28.8k modem and a 56k modem, our lightning fast BPL technology lets you download the latest movie clips, music files, and games in the blink of an eye, and slashes your research time by minutes.

CEO of Arkados and Homeplug Alliance

Broadband Powerline — Mon, 17 Jul 2006 19:23:00 +0000

Oleg Logvinov, President and CEO of Arkados Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of CDKnet.com (OTCBB:CDKN), is joining with leaders from Conexant, Intel, Intellon, and Radio Shack to address how HomePlug powerline communication standards can be incorporated into exciting products for the growing connected home marketplace. Arkados has been active within the HomePlug Powerline Alliance since its inception.

NETGEAR® Launches 200 Mbps Powerline Solution

Broadband Powerline — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 15:40:00 +0000

NETGEAR®, Inc. announced the availability of the 200 Mbps Powerline HD Ethernet Adapter and Kit. The Powerline HD Ethernet Adapter enables consumers to seamlessly connect a personal computer, digital video recorder, game console or other Ethernet-ready device to their home network. It distributes high-speed, high-performance, affordable broadband throughout the home, without the need to run any cabling between rooms.

NETGEAR’s Powerline HD Ethernet Adapters turn any AC electrical outlet into an HD-streaming, high-speed Ethernet broadband connection – for real-time high-quality video, gaming and VoIP. NETGEAR’s Powerline HD Ethernet Adapter offers built-in Video Quality of Service (VQoS) for consistent performance with encrypted security, at unprecedented data rates, to seamlessly stream high-definition video throughout the entire home. The VQoS feature ensures that video and gaming traffic is prioritized above all other network traffic so that HD video streams are free of interruption from others using the network.

TATUNG ANNOUNCES 200MBPS POWERLINE FOR HOME NETWORK

Broadband Powerline — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 18:50:00 +0000

Tatung today unveiled a 200 megabits per second (Mbps) Powerline Ethernet Adapter and Kit that enables consumers to tap into existing electrical wiring for extension of their home network. Any Ethernet-ready device can easily be added to a home network using the new Tatung Powerline adapters, and the technology is ideally suited for next generation applications such as high-definition media streaming, music sharing and online multi-player gaming.

Connecting to the home network simply requires plugging one adapter to a router and the other to an Ethernet-ready device such as a personal computer, High Definition TV, digital video recorder, SlingBox,game console(VBOX), printer server .

Europe Approves Broadband Powerline Communications

Broadband Powerline — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 15:57:00 +0000

Efforts to use electricity cables to transmit data took a step forward in Europe with the publication of an open specification for power line communications (PLC).

The Open PLC European Research Alliance (OPERA), which is partly funded by the European Commission, said its specification will accelerate the development of products that use powerlines for broadband Internet access, voice and video services, as well as utility applications such as automatic meter reading.

The approval of the specification, announced Tuesday, comes after more than two years of development by a consortium of experts from 35 organizations, including 10 universities.

Products based on the specification will deliver speeds of more than 200M bps (bits per second), according to OPERA. It is based on OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) modulation and offers both FD (Frequency Division) and TD (Time Division) repeating capabilities.
http://www.itworldcanada.com/a/News/20241843-179d-4f8a-900e-225a6186c3a4.html

UPA 2006 Plan for Powerline Standards

Broadband Powerline — Mon, 13 Feb 2006 15:27:00 +0000

Universal Powerline Association to Provide Basis for International Standardization for Broadband Access and AV Home Networking

The Universal Powerline Association (UPA) unveiled its work program for 2006 at its annual general meeting. The group intends to build on the coexistence specification published in 2005 and to further promote the capabilities of powerline communications (PLC) to deliver global solutions for broadband access and home networking.

"The UPA is now firmly established as the only independent industry body bringing together the global PLC community and speaking of the need for sound, solid standards based on coexistence and interoperability," said Eric Morel, president of the UPA. "In just one year, since its launch at CES in 2005, membership in the UPA has doubled, and even greater increases are expected in 2006 based on the significant interest shown by players in the PLC field."

The most recent recruits to be welcomed to the UPA are Toshiba Electronics, PCN Technology, AcBel Polytech Inc, Tecnocom and Telekom research and Development SDN BHD (Malaysia).

In 2006, the UPA will continue to work with global standards bodies; the IEEE, ETSI and other pertinent industry organizations - to establish worldwide standards that enable technological coexistence and interoperability between broadband access and home networking PLC applications.

BPL Technology in Manassas Complete, Ham Radio Addressed

Broadband Powerline — Wed, 25 Jan 2006 18:11:00 +0000

Communication Technologies, Inc. (COMTek) said today that it has voluntarily adjusted nearly 600 broadband over powerline (BPL) devices in Manassas, VA, and that there remains no "documented basis for further ham radio operator concerns" about the firm's nationally recognized BPL system in the city.

COMTek said that any meaningful issues or concerns about BPL in Manassas will be addressed in full and should be directed to Customer Service at (703) 365-8211. COMTek BPL network now serves 900 home and business subscribers in Manassas and is progressing steadily to the 1000th customer milestone. The Chantilly, Va.-based company's network in Manassas is the first commercial deployment of BPL in the nation to use a city-wide electricity grid to provide individual homes and businesses with direct "plug in" broadband access through electric sockets, rather than over phone or cable TV lines.

COMTek Vice President Walt Adams said: "...we know of fewer than half a dozen ham radio operator complaints, each of which COMTek has gone to truly extraordinary lengths to address. ... The opposition from these almost entirely non-Manassas individuals and their national organization appears to be grounded in a fundamental opposition to BPL rather than any hard facts."

Universal Powerline Association Broadband Powerline

Broadband Powerline — Fri, 13 Jan 2006 17:39:00 +0000

The Universal Powerline Association announced at its annual meeting that it was backing the standardization effort based on the specs developed by Open PLC European Alliance, which were demonstrated in the European, Asian and U.S. markets last year.

The organization that was formed last year maintains that a worldwide PLC specification will assure service providers and customers that PLC will be compatible with equipment and content.

The group will also continue working on the Digital Home Specification that will provide seamless interfaces between in-home PLC (power line communications) wiring and cable, DSL and PLC broadband services.

Motorola’s BPL solution receives UL approval

Broadband Powerline — Wed, 11 Jan 2006 14:31:00 +0000

Motorola’s Powerline LV modem this week received approval from Underwriters Laboratories (UL), meaning the vendor giant can begin shipping its broadband over power line (BPL) solution in the next month, company officials said.
UL approval also will let Motorola continue its testing with ARRL, the national association for the amateur radio community, said Dick Illman, a member the advanced wireless team in Motorola special markets division of engineering.
ARRL has been vocal in its criticism of many BPL systems that generate interference-causing emissions from broadband signals being transmitted over medium-voltage power lines. Motorola’s Powerline LV solution avoids this problem by using a Canopy wireless architecture to transmit the broadband signal to the transformer server an area, from which only low-voltage wires are used.

Although Motorola halted its tests with ARRL while seeking UL approval, tests conducted in the fall with ARRL were “perfect—there was no interference” to the BPL system or ham operations, Illman said.
In addition to removing medium-voltage lines from the interference equation, Powerline LV also utilizes notching—a practice used successfully by BPL vendor Current Technologies—to prevent transmissions on frequencies that could cause problems,” said Mary Ashe, business development manager for Motorola.

Broadband over Powerline in Texas

Broadband Powerline — Fri, 30 Dec 2005 16:55:00 +0000

Dallas-based TXU Electric Delivery said it will bein offering its electric utility customers so-called broadband over power lines next year in a partnership with Current Communications Group of Germantown, MD.
The company said it will transform its power distribution network into what it claims will be the nation's first broadband-enabled electric grid.
That means a true "plug-and-play" high-speed Internet service for the company's customers in North Texas and in areas of West Texas.

Venezuela power company to offer broadband

Broadband Powerline — Fri, 30 Dec 2005 16:50:00 +0000

Venezuela's state-run power company Cadafe will soon offer broadband service over its transmission lines.
China's Zhongxing Telecom Equipment will provide the Internet service to rival the planned powerline-broadband project announced two months ago by Venezuela's largest private power company, EDC.
Cadafe operates Venezuela's backbone power transmission network with an estimated 2.5 million customers. The broadband project involves an investment of $132 million and installation of about 5,600 miles of fiber optics.

Intellon Unveils World's First HomePlug(R) AV Integrated Circuit

Broadband Powerline — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 16:05:00 +0000

Intellon Corporation, the global leader in HomePlug-compatible integrated circuits (ICs) for home networking, networked entertainment and broadband over powerline (BPL) applications, today announced the world's first integrated circuit (IC) based on the new 200Mbps HomePlug AV specification. Designated the INT6000, the new IC will enable multiple high-definition video streams to be distributed over existing home powerlines, coaxial cable or other wiring with whole-house coverage, low latency and robust Quality of Service (QoS).
"The INT6000 will change the way people distribute entertainment content in their homes," said Charlie Harris, Chairman and CEO of Intellon Corporation. "With the INT6000, any consumer electronics product, PC, broadband modem, set top box, personal video recorder or flat-screen display can share robust high definition video and audio by simply plugging the product into a convenient electrical outlet. Intellon is proud to continue its global leadership in powerline communications by being the first company to introduce an IC based on the widely-anticipated HomePlug AV specification."