HD-PLC launches certification of IEEE standard devices

FUKUOKA, JAPAN: HD-PLC Alliance has begun certification of PLC-related devices that conform to a new standard (IEEE 1901, Broadband over Power Lines, PHY/MAC) for power line communication (PLC) that was announced late last year by the IEEE Standards Association.

Having received recommendations on the necessity of coexistence for in-home broadband PLC from the United States' National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), which was currently formulating guidelines on smart grids and interoperability, globally we were the first to publish in April of 2011 certification test guidelines that made IEEE 1901 a requirement.

Furthermore, Panasonic, an Alliance member company, has already completed research and design of an LSI that completely conforms to IEEE 1901, and is beginning to provide licensing of that LSI design to promote the spread of standard PLC products in the market.

With these development environment strategies in place, the use of LSIs that have received HD-PLC's certification for the IEEE 1901 international standard is expected to spread to various fields around the world, as there are plans for several businesses to introduce it to the market in the form of network routers and smart TVs, consumer devices, transport devices, smart grid systems, etc.

Moreover, the Alliance has also entered into an agreement with China's IGRS (note 4), to open the IGRS-PLC Certification Center in complete compatibility with HD-PLC within the National Engineering Lab recognized by the government of the Chinese city of Shenzhen, with plans to begin device certification by the second quarter of 2011.

IGRS and HD-PLC Alliance are working together to reach the markets of the world, starting with China.