IEEE Confirms Baseline for Broadband-Over-Power
Line Standard
Creates Baseline for First IEEE BPL Communication Protocol Standard
Contact:
Karen McCabe, IEEE-SA
Marketing Director
+1 732-562-3824, k.mccabe@ieee.org
PISCATAWAY, N.J., USA,7 January 2009 -- The IEEE P1901™ Working Group has confirmed and approved the baseline for IEEE's standard related to Broadband Over Power Lines (BPL), IEEE Std 1901™, " Draft Standard for Broadband over Power Line Networks: Medium Access Control and Physical Layer Specifications."
Three proposals addressing more than 400 functional and technical requirements in three critical areas of BPL, in-home, access and coexistence, were approved to form the baseline of the standard. The proposals received more than 85% of affirmative votes within the working group; exceeding the 75% required threshold. More information about the standards process can be found at http://standards.ieee.org/announcements/bkgnd_stdsprocess.html.
The baseline specification of more than 2000 pages includes FFT and Wavelet OFDM modulation schemes and an option for compatibility with the ITU-T Study Group 15/Q4 G.hn Recommendation under development. The in-home part allows low-voltage wiring in structures to carry digital content; the access part provides for transmission of broadband content on the medium- and low-voltage power lines that feed homes; and the coexistence and interoperability part ensures all equipment and devices used on BPL networks are compatible.
"This is a major milestone in the development of a BPL standard," says Jean-Philippe Faure, chair of the IEEE P1901 Working Group. "The approved proposals form the baseline content for the standard. Our next steps will be to harmonize and improve the different sections and then finalize the draft standard for IEEE Sponsor Ballot by the end of year."
The draft standard will be developed over the next several months. The P1901 Working Group already formed the first Technical Sub Group dedicated to this task. The Working Group will next convene from 3-6 February 2009 in Miami, FL, USA.
About the IEEE P1901 Working Group
The IEEE P1901 is a Corporate Standards working group created by 20 companies in June 2005. The working group currently has a membership of over 60 entities, representing information technology communications companies, consumer electronic companies, telecommunications companies, utilities, semiconductor manufacturers academia and consortia. For more information on IEEE P1901 and its membership, see: http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/1901/.
About the IEEE Standards Association
The IEEE Standards Association, a globally recognized standards-setting body, develops consensus standards through an open process that brings diverse parts of industry together. These standards set specifications and procedures based on current scientific and technological consensus. The IEEE-SA has a portfolio of over 870 active standards and more than 400 standards under development. For information on IEEE-SA see: http://standards.ieee.org/.
About the IEEE
The IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.) is the world’s largest technical professional society. Through its more than 375,000 members in 160 countries, the organization is a leading authority on a wide variety of areas ranging from aerospace systems, computers and telecommunications to biomedical engineering, electric power and consumer electronics. Dedicated to the advancement of technology, the IEEE publishes 30 percent of the world’s literature in the electrical and electronics engineering and computer science fields, and has developed nearly 900 active industry standards. The organization annually sponsors more than 850 conferences worldwide. Additional information about the IEEE can be found at http://www.ieee.org.
