IEEE brings harmony to powerline standards

While powerline technology has found its niche in both the home networking and for residential broadband communications and smart grid applications, the IEEE wants to foster more cooperation between these two distinct spheres.

As part of that drive, the IEEE will create a liaison between the home networking centric HomePlug Powerline Alliance and HD-PLC alliance, which has focused its attention on transmitting data over outdoor power lines. A key driver for this cooperative effort will be the IEEE P1901 Smart-Grid standard. Among the many goals of the standard will be to create low-cost, SmartGrid-based appliances.

An initial step in the process will  create a joint certification program for the Inter-System Protocol (ISP) in the IEEE P1901 standard that enables coexistence between both PLC technologies. By allowing this coexistence, consumers would be able purchase various powerline-based smart grid appliances that could operate in a home without interference.

For more:
- CED has this article

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