G.hn, the catch all no-new-wires home networking standard that can accommodate copper wire, coax, and powerlines, reached a big milestone as the ITU gave their final approval of the standard.
Each of the standard's key elements--Data Link Layer (G.9961), Physical Layer (G.9960), and coexistence protocol (G.9972)--are complete. Set to enable broadband customers to connect and distribute content over any home wire, the standard will provide benefits to not only service providers deploying IPTV, but also consumer electronics manufacturers (home automation and security) and smart grid applications/devices (electric meters, heating and lighting systems) that would run in a home.
Despite debate from other competing no-new-wires camps (HomePlug and Multimedia over Coax, or MoCA), the G.hn standard has already gotten support from eight silicon vendors, including DS2, Ikanos, Intel, Lantiq, Sigma Designs, Texas Instruments and, most recently, Kawasaki Microelectronics America, Inc. and TangoTec.
Of course, the ultimate test for G.hn will be service provider deployments, a factor that will take time to prove out given the newness of the standard. And while G.hn claims to unify every home wiring technologies, service providers remain divided on what technology they will deploy for their home networking deployments. BT, AT&T, Qwest and France Telecom support G.hn, while Verizon and the cable industry remain steadfast in their support of MoCA.
For more:
- see the release here
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