Powerline Networking Groups Connect Standards
Proponents of two rival technologies merge their approaches and said products already in the market will work together.
Stephen Lawson, IDG News Service
Friday, September 28, 2007 2:00 PM PDT
Fast in-home networks over electrical wires got a boost on Friday as proponents of two rival technologies merged their approaches and said products already in the market will work together.
The HomePlug Powerline Alliance and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. (Panasonic) said they will present a joint proposal to the IEEE P1901 Work Group for Broadband over Powerline, which is trying to come up with a global standard. Their proposal could support both Panasonic's HD-PLC and the HomePlug AV specification, so future products would be interoperable with existing gear that uses either one, said Oleg Logvinov, chief strategy officer of HomePlug. The group's latest in-home technology, called HomePlug AV, can deliver more than 30M bps (bits per second) of throughput from most sockets in a home, he said. A HomePlug adapter about the size of a cigarette pack can plug into a socket and provide Ethernet or another type of standard connection on the other side.
Using wall sockets and home wires is one of several competing methods for connecting PCs and consumer electronics at high speeds. This is expected to be critical for sharing entertainment content around a home after many people start watching high-definition TV and downloadable movies over fiber carrier networks. Phone lines, coaxial TV cable and improved wireless LANs are also vying for dominance, and the market is still wide open, according to Parks Associates analyst Kurt Scherf.
Powerline networking is also being promoted for broadband itself, where it has gained little traction against DSL (digital subscriber line) and cable. The P1901 standard would cover both. HomePlug BPL, designed for this use, can work together with HomePlug AV, Logvinov said.
The partnership between Panasonic and HomePlug should create a consensus broad enough to reach agreement on a proposal in the P1901 working group by the end of this year, Logvinov said.
Friday's move surprised Scherf, who called it good news. Panasonic and HomePlug had been at loggerheads for some time, and their feud may well have delayed the IEEE standard, he said. They face still another entity, the Universal Powerline Association (UPA), that has won converts from some service providers and vendors, Scherf said. UPA probably doesn't have enough backing in the P1901 group to hold up agreement on a standard, HomePlug's Logvinov believes.
The alphabet soup of different standards shouldn't panic consumers at this point, Scherf said. Most products today are adapters rather than expensive, long-term investments. A single standard will matter more when network connections are built in to big-ticket items such as TVs, he said.
The HomePlug Powerline Alliance was formed in 2000 and counts some of the biggest names in IT among its members, including Cisco Systems Inc., Intel Corp., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Motorola Inc. and Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. It claims more than 10 million HomePlug products have shipped worldwide.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Copel to launch PLC pilot program in Paraná this year - Brazil
Copel to launch PLC pilot program in Paraná this year - Brazil
Published: Friday, September 28, 2007 12:19 (GMT -0400)
Brazilian power company Copel (NYSE: ELP) expects to launch a pilot program for providing broadband internet over power line (PLC) this year, IT news service Computerworld reported Copel's telecoms consultant Orlando Cesar as saying.
According to the executive, the pilot program will be for 300 clients in the southern state of Paraná that will have a broadband service with speeds of up to 100Mbps.
Cesar said the project was a natural step as the company has a fiber optic backbone covering a wide area in Paraná state.
Cesar told BNamericas he expects to have 3,000 clients on the pilot program by the end of next year. If all goes well, the company will look at expanding the service to other parts of Paraná state.
"At the end of 2008 we will develop a business plan to decide if the company will make the necessary investments to make the service more widespread," he Cesar said.
PLC enables the operator to reach a wider subscriber base as electric power cables are more widespread than telecommunications infrastructure. Modems are the only additional element required to obtain internet access.
Published: Friday, September 28, 2007 12:19 (GMT -0400)
Brazilian power company Copel (NYSE: ELP) expects to launch a pilot program for providing broadband internet over power line (PLC) this year, IT news service Computerworld reported Copel's telecoms consultant Orlando Cesar as saying.
According to the executive, the pilot program will be for 300 clients in the southern state of Paraná that will have a broadband service with speeds of up to 100Mbps.
Cesar said the project was a natural step as the company has a fiber optic backbone covering a wide area in Paraná state.
Cesar told BNamericas he expects to have 3,000 clients on the pilot program by the end of next year. If all goes well, the company will look at expanding the service to other parts of Paraná state.
"At the end of 2008 we will develop a business plan to decide if the company will make the necessary investments to make the service more widespread," he Cesar said.
PLC enables the operator to reach a wider subscriber base as electric power cables are more widespread than telecommunications infrastructure. Modems are the only additional element required to obtain internet access.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Eight Utilities Seek To Increase Energy Efficiency Investment by $500 Million Annually
Thursday September 27, 9:21 am ET
NEW YORK, Sept. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) announced today that eight utilities -- Con Edison, Duke Energy, Edison International, Great Plains Energy, Pepco Holdings, PNM Resources, Sierra Pacific Resources and Xcel Energy -- are committed to seeking regulatory reforms and approvals to increase their investment in energy efficiency by $500 million annually to about $1.5 billion annually. This increased level of investment in energy efficiency, when fully implemented in 10 years, will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 30 million tons -- the equivalent of removing nearly 6 million cars from the road. It will also avoid the need for 50 500-megawatt peaking power plants.
The eight utilities, which represent nearly 20 million customers in 22 states, also committed to the creation of a national institute for electric efficiency to develop regulatory models and convene supporting conferences in the power sector. This institute would be formed within the Edison Electric Institute, which represents the nation's investor-owned electric utilities. The new institute is open to interested parties -- both domestic and international -- who share its commitment to energy efficiency. (See attached fact sheet.)
"Today's commitment is indicative of the power of energy efficiency in addressing climate change," said Jim Rogers, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Duke Energy, and a leader of the CGI energy efficiency commitment. "There has been a chronic underinvestment in energy efficiency in our country. We are determined to fix that, by creating the innovative regulatory frameworks that leverage technology to address climate change, reduce power demand and keep our customers' power bills as low as possible."
More: Eight Utilities Seek To Increase Energy Efficiency Investment by $500 Million Annually
NEW YORK, Sept. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) announced today that eight utilities -- Con Edison, Duke Energy, Edison International, Great Plains Energy, Pepco Holdings, PNM Resources, Sierra Pacific Resources and Xcel Energy -- are committed to seeking regulatory reforms and approvals to increase their investment in energy efficiency by $500 million annually to about $1.5 billion annually. This increased level of investment in energy efficiency, when fully implemented in 10 years, will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 30 million tons -- the equivalent of removing nearly 6 million cars from the road. It will also avoid the need for 50 500-megawatt peaking power plants.
The eight utilities, which represent nearly 20 million customers in 22 states, also committed to the creation of a national institute for electric efficiency to develop regulatory models and convene supporting conferences in the power sector. This institute would be formed within the Edison Electric Institute, which represents the nation's investor-owned electric utilities. The new institute is open to interested parties -- both domestic and international -- who share its commitment to energy efficiency. (See attached fact sheet.)
"Today's commitment is indicative of the power of energy efficiency in addressing climate change," said Jim Rogers, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Duke Energy, and a leader of the CGI energy efficiency commitment. "There has been a chronic underinvestment in energy efficiency in our country. We are determined to fix that, by creating the innovative regulatory frameworks that leverage technology to address climate change, reduce power demand and keep our customers' power bills as low as possible."
More: Eight Utilities Seek To Increase Energy Efficiency Investment by $500 Million Annually
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
ZyXEL's Powerline wireless router, the NBG318S
ZyXEL's Powerline wireless router, the NBG318SZyXEL Adds Three New Products to Its Homeplug AV Powerline Family
Wednesday September 26, 9:00 am ET
ZyXEL Offers the Broadest Line of Powerline Internet Access Solutions for Digital Home Consumers and Small Office/Home Office Users
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Continuing to lead the Powerline and audio/video (AV) industry with first-to-market technologies, ZyXEL Communications today announced it has added three new products to its comprehensive HomePlug AV Powerline family. The NBG318S, PLA450 and PLA470 round out the ZyXEL product family making it the broadest and most complete line of Powerline networking solutions for digital home consumers and small office/home office (SOHO) users in the market. ZyXEL is showcasing its unparalleled product suite this week at ShowStoppers for the Digital Holidays in New York City.
Source: ZyXEL Communications, Inc.
As the Powerline market leader, ZyXEL has developed a series of industry first products that enable users to network their home or extend their existing wireless network. This is a key requirement for many consumers and SOHO users that are looking for easy-to-implement technologies for Internet access, file sharing and VoIP services throughout the home. HomePlug AV technology was designed from the ground up as a home network backbone solution with very high throughput. ZyXEL's Powerline product family was launched last year with its PLA400 and PLA401, Powerline Ethernet adapters (desktop and wall mount options) and the P660HWP, an ADLS2+ gateway with HomePlug AV and WiFi built-in. Now, ZyXEL's new products add a wireless router, wireless access point and 4-port Ethernet switch.
"As the leading provider of Powerline products we can offer everything from basic Powerline adapters to a fully integrated router that packs Powerline with WiFi for a wireless home network that can use the additional boost from HomePlug AV technology for full coverage," said Munira Brooks, ZyXEL's senior vice president of sales and marketing. "It is well-known that Wi-Fi offers great mobility but it usually cannot cover every square foot of the home, leaving dead spots in certain places, As a result, many consumers are looking to Powerline technologies as an effective alternative to or as an add-on for their Wi-Fi networks."
NBG318S Powerline Wireless Router
ZyXEL's Powerline wireless router, the NBG318S, is an all-in-one solution that packs Ethernet, Wi-Fi and Powerline technologies into one box with the latest QoS technologies designed for gaming, VoIP, video streaming and Internet access. The NBG318S features the ability to be connected directly to a modem and can also act as a broadband extended wireless gateway by connecting to a modem via Powerline. This first-of-its-kind feature gives users complete control by allowing them to position the router at the most ideal location in the home and change the operation mode to use the router as a broadband extension gateway with a simple mouse click.
The NBG318S broadband router is designed for consumers who want to access the Internet, play online games, stream videos and make VoIP calls anywhere at home with either a wired or wireless connection. With the power cable also serving as a HomePlug AV data connection, the NBG318S will stream HD video throughout the home, overcoming most dead spots and interference. The NBG318S also comes standard with ZyXEL's DOS/DDOS SPI Firewall for advanced encryption and data protection.
"Considering the popularity of digital audio, video and online gaming, today's modern home needs a total solution that can provide all of its networking needs," added Brooks. "Our newest HomePlug AV Powerline solution is the first and only broadband gateway with all three network technologies - Wi-Fi, Powerline and Ethernet - built into one router. Our new products are extremely easy to use, are optimized to transfer high definition content in a smooth manner and eliminate interference with other nearby wireless networks."
PLA450 Powerline Wireless Access Point
ZyXEL's PLA450 Powerline Wireless Access Point is an 802.11g access point with built-in HomePlug AV capability and one Ethernet port. Targeted to customers who need to extend the wireless coverage in their home, small office or in a warehouse type of environment, the PLA450 does not require the installation of additional Ethernet cabling. The PLA450 offers an extremely easy-to-use and high-performance alternative by connecting to an existing wireless network over Powerline.
PLA470 Powerline Wireless Switch
ZyXEL's PLA470 is a HomePlug AV adapter with a built-in 4-port fast Ethernet switch. Powered by HomePlug AV technology, the PLA470 Powerline switch is rated at speeds of up to 200 Mbps over existing power lines. With a built-in 10/100 Mbps fast Ethernet switch, the PLA470 enables users to share Internet, printer and central storage over the Powerline network without the need to purchase an additional Powerline adapter.
Pricing and Availability
All HomePlug AV Powerline products are available individually or as combination kits through ZyXEL's authorized channel partners and Retail/E-tail outlets. The following combination kits are available:
PLA400 Dual Pack - includes two PLA400 HomePlug Powerline Ethernet adapters (MSRP $199.99)
PLA401 Dual Pack - includes two PLA401 HomePlug Powerline wall mount Ethernet adapters (MSRP $199.99)
Powerline Home Network Kit - includes one NBG318S and one PLA401 wall mount unit (MSRP $280.00)
Pricing for standalone products are as follows: PLA400 (MSRP $95.00); PLA401 (MSRP $95.00); NBG318S (MSRP $135.00); PLA450 (MSRP $149.00); PLA470 (MSRP $108.00).
For more information about ZyXEL's HomePlug AV Powerline product family, please visit www.us.zyxel.com/homeplug or call 1-800-255-4101.
Ambient CEO Issues Letter to Stockholders
Ambient Corp. BPL TechnologySeptember 26, 2007 08:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ambient Corporation (OTCBB: ABTG), a leader in Broadband over Power Lines (BPL) solutions, issued today a letter to stockholders from President and CEO John J. Joyce.
Dear Valued Stockholders:
At our Annual Meeting of Stockholders in May of 2007, we set forth four primary goals and objectives: stabilizing Ambient’s capital structure, increasing revenues, fostering the creation of industry standards and enhancing our technology while protecting our intellectual property. We continue to strive to meet these goals that position Ambient for its future growth. I am pleased to provide you with this report highlighting the latest developments.
To stabilize our capital structure, we have completed a number of initial actions. We are pleased to report the results of our Special Meeting of Stockholders held on Friday, September 21st. A vote to increase the number of shares of Common Stock the Company is authorized to issue, passed by greater than 70% approval, with 88% of our outstanding shares participating in the vote. Ambient requested the increase in Authorized Shares in order to be able to support raising additional working capital. However, at this time, the Company has no commitment for additional funding. Ambient strengthened its balance sheet in August of 2007, retiring $2.4 Million of short-term debt and closing on a $7.5 Million private placement of long-term debt securities from an institutional investor, Vicis Capital Master Fund. Vicis Capital shares Ambient’s vision and strategy, and is backed by approximately $2 Billion in managed assets. Interest on the private placement does not begin accruing until July 2008, with the first quarterly interest payment due in September 2008. As part of our continuing efforts to limit the distribution of Ambient stock at a discount-to-market price and control further dilution, we have paid in cash the scheduled monthly payments for July, August and September on our 2006 Debentures.
Overall, 2007 has been a very active and challenging year for Ambient and the BPL industry as a whole. Ambient now finds itself in a rapidly changing environment where the term “Smart Grid” has become more than just a catch phrase used by utilities seeking to modernize their distribution grid. Smart Grid applications are driving utility innovation and bringing much needed recognition to the looming infrastructure dilemma facing U.S. electric utilities. It is in this new environment of awareness for utilities, regulators and legislators that Ambient is continuing its position as an innovative leader in the BPL industry focusing on both the functionality and environmental benefits of a BPL Smart Grid. Those not familiar with the environmental benefits derived from BPL are invited to look on our website under “Company” (http://www.ambientcorp.com/pages/about.htm) for our “Environmentalism through Efficiency” presentation.
We continue to validate our technologies in the field as Ambient is presently conducting trials and commercial pilots with major electric utilities that serve in aggregate of over 12 million electric customers. These projects are directed towards a variety of goals including developing and demonstrating Smart Grid utility applications, residential and multi-dwelling unit consumer broadband Internet access, and successful operation of our next generation hardware products and network management software. We have also been actively seeking new opportunities, replying to request for proposals (RFP) from both major U.S. investor owned utilities (IOUs) and regional municipal electric suppliers.
We have also completed a number of enhancements to our product suite. We have received an addition to our FCC-certification to utilize Arteche capacitive couplers in our BPL systems. We have installed these couplers in our largest field deployment. Capacitive coupling was added to the Ambient suite to increase Ambient’s flexibility in network design and to address line and access concerns on particular segments of the overhead medium voltage electrical grid.
Our ongoing product enhancement work continues with Consolidated Edison of New York as we develop and modify our equipment to adapt to the Manhattan underground environment. We are also upgrading our deployment in Westchester County, NY to our FCC-certified, second-generation equipment. Our deployments with Akron, Ohio-based FirstEnergy Service Company and Entergy Corporation in Little Rock, Arkansas continue to operate while these individual customers evaluate our technology for larger deployments.
After an extended evaluation period, Ambient and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) have concluded our BPL demonstration. While the pilot demonstration has concluded with SDG&E, we believe that Ambient’s experience and BPL technology will favorably position us should SDG&E decide to proceed with Smart Grid utility applications in the future.
The BPL industry is now blossoming with increased support from investors, the FCC and local and federal legislators. Legislation in both the U.S. House of Representatives (HR 3221) and the U.S. Senate (HR 6) for Smart Grid capabilities have been introduced and lobbying through the GridWise Alliance occurs. Based this support, the United Power Line Council estimates the U.S. BPL market to generate $2.5 billion in revenue by 2010. I believe Ambient’s long-term strategy of choosing focused pilot deployments with innovative utility partners will prove successful.
As always, thank you for your continued interest and support of Ambient.
Sincerely,
John J. Joyce
President and CEO
About Ambient Corporation
Ambient is a pioneer in the Broadband over Power Lines (BPL) industry and is engaged in the design, development and marketing of patented, FCC-certified BPL equipment and technologies. Ambient utilizes proprietary technology and in-depth industry experience to provide optimal solutions for Smart Grids and the Broadband Access and In-premise markets. Headquartered in Newton, MA, Ambient is a publicly traded company (OTCBB: ABTG). Visit Ambient at www.ambientcorp.com.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Duke Energy's spending plan has nearly $1 billion for 'smart grid'
Duke Energy's spending plan has nearly $1 billion for 'smart grid'
September 18. 2007
BPL TODAY
Duke Energy plans to spend $975 million over the next five years on what it calls the "utility of the future . . . keep reading(subscription needed) BPL Today
FYI:
DUKE ENERGY pushes for AMBIENT/DS2 G2 200Mbps BPL gears in N. Carolina
Ambient Corporation (OTCBB: ABTG) has Expanded Broadband over Power Line Deployment with DUKE ENERGY (NYSE: DUK)
IMHO ... "The above IS A GREAT NEWS for BPL stock investors" !!!
September 18. 2007
BPL TODAY
Duke Energy plans to spend $975 million over the next five years on what it calls the "utility of the future . . . keep reading(subscription needed) BPL Today
FYI:
DUKE ENERGY pushes for AMBIENT/DS2 G2 200Mbps BPL gears in N. Carolina
Ambient Corporation (OTCBB: ABTG) has Expanded Broadband over Power Line Deployment with DUKE ENERGY (NYSE: DUK)IMHO ... "The above IS A GREAT NEWS for BPL stock investors" !!!
Friday, September 21, 2007
Nextream opens 2nd Boadband over Power Line demo in Philippines !!!
Nextream opens 2nd demo in Philippines
September 18, 2007
BPLTODAY.COM
Nextream opened its second access BPL trial in the Philippines -- this one in Bataan, a town with about 140,000 homes .... keep reading (Subscription needed to
BPLTODAY.com )
September 18, 2007
BPLTODAY.COM
Nextream opened its second access BPL trial in the Philippines -- this one in Bataan, a town with about 140,000 homes .... keep reading (Subscription needed to
BPLTODAY.com )
OPERA, Broadband Over Power Line (BPL)
Published Fri, 2007-09-21 12:00
Just as we get used to the idea of watching television over a phone line, along comes a new idea: broadband internet, TV and phone services delivered through ordinary power cables. European researchers have solved the formidable challenges of this new technology, and are leading the race to an international standard that could give us cheaper, easier broadband access.
Broadband ‘always on’ internet is taking off. The number of Europeans with high-speed internet access grew by nearly 50 percent between 2005 and 2006, and the popularity of internet-based phone and television services is straining the capacity of existing broadband carriers.
Thanks to the huge data capacity of optical fibres, high-speed communications “backbones” linking towns and cities are economic to set up. More challenging is what the telecoms industry calls the “last mile”: the few hundreds or thousands of metres between the customer’s house or office and the nearest switchbox or telephone exchange.
Co-axial cable and optical fibre provide high bandwidths, but cost too much to install in thinly-populated areas. Phone-based broadband – ADSL – is cheaper, because it uses existing wiring, but performs poorly at more than a few kilometres from the exchange. Even in cities, ADSL is reaching its technical limits. New communications channels are urgently needed.
European researchers believe they have a solution in the technology known as power line communications (PLC). Like ADSL, PLC uses existing cables, in this case the ones installed to carry electric power. Since mains electricity is found almost everywhere, PLC works even in remote areas and countries where phone lines are in short supply. PLC also has great potential for saving energy through better control of the electricity network itself.
OPERA beats the noise
Although PLC of one kind or another has existed for several decades, getting the technology to work reliably at broadband speeds is difficult, explains Javier Arriola of Spanish power company Iberdrola. The electrical grid carries large currents at low frequency, whereas broadband involves low-power signals at high frequencies (up to 30 MHz). The weak data signals are easily overwhelmed by electrical “noise” on the grid, yet paradoxically they can interfere with nearby radio transmissions if special measures are not taken to prevent this.
PLC signals can only travel for a few kilometres before they become too feeble, and they cannot pass through transformers at all. The tree-like structure of the power network also presents problems, especially when lines are switched in and out as demand changes.
This places stringent demands on PLC design. The algorithms used to encode the data must be robust, to avoid problems with noise, and the signals need to be frequently re-amplified and routed around obstacles such as transformers. The management system has to take account of changing network paths, and safety is always an issue when working at thousands of volts.
All these issues have been solved, Arriola says, by an EU-supported project which he coordinates. The OPERA consortium has brought together 26 organisations – power and telecoms providers, equipment manufacturers, technology companies and academics –from 11 countries to create a new PLC system that is practical and affordable.
OPERA has a total budget of €29 million. The project began in January 2004, and two years later it had created a PLC system capable of 45 Mbit/s that was advanced enough for Iberdrola to market. This service still had some teething problems, Arriola admits, but a second phase of OPERA that began in January 2007 has already created a new prototype that is more robust and much faster.
The new system is currently on test at three sites in Spain, Portugal and Austria. Its bandwidth of 200 Mbit/s can be shared by several hundred consumers, to create an economical broadband service, or fewer people when higher speeds are needed. The local equipment is easily installed by power company technicians: a repeater at the electrical substation, smaller repeaters in apartment and office blocks, and a small modem-like box for each customer.
Squaring up to standards
OPERA is by no means the only PLC initiative: between 2001 and 2004 there were more than 100 PLC trials in 40 countries. The main standards body, the Institution of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), is now assessing a handful of PLC technologies. An agreed standard is essential, says Arriola, if PLC is to be widely accepted, especially as power companies forge closer links between neighbouring grids. Only large-scale adoption of a single technology will allow the equipment to be made cheaply enough for consumer use.
OPERA is the only PLC technology to have been demonstrated under real conditions in its current form, Arriola says. This lead in testing, plus OPERA’s advantages in terms of speed, robustness and lack of radio interference, put the technology in an excellent position to become a world standard. By the time the project finishes in December 2008, PLC equipment and services based on OPERA should be commercially available, Arriola says.
As well as providing high-speed internet access, video and phone services from any electric socket, OPERA has a great future in controlling the grid. Power companies already use a form of PLC to control their high-voltage lines and switchgear, but until now this has not been possible at the consumer level. PLC could allow remote meter reading and the use of dynamic tariffs to save power and spread demand. “This is a versatile technology that can provide a practical alternative to cable, DSL and wireless broadband,” Arriola concludes.
Source: ICT Results
Just as we get used to the idea of watching television over a phone line, along comes a new idea: broadband internet, TV and phone services delivered through ordinary power cables. European researchers have solved the formidable challenges of this new technology, and are leading the race to an international standard that could give us cheaper, easier broadband access.
Broadband ‘always on’ internet is taking off. The number of Europeans with high-speed internet access grew by nearly 50 percent between 2005 and 2006, and the popularity of internet-based phone and television services is straining the capacity of existing broadband carriers.
Thanks to the huge data capacity of optical fibres, high-speed communications “backbones” linking towns and cities are economic to set up. More challenging is what the telecoms industry calls the “last mile”: the few hundreds or thousands of metres between the customer’s house or office and the nearest switchbox or telephone exchange.
Co-axial cable and optical fibre provide high bandwidths, but cost too much to install in thinly-populated areas. Phone-based broadband – ADSL – is cheaper, because it uses existing wiring, but performs poorly at more than a few kilometres from the exchange. Even in cities, ADSL is reaching its technical limits. New communications channels are urgently needed.
European researchers believe they have a solution in the technology known as power line communications (PLC). Like ADSL, PLC uses existing cables, in this case the ones installed to carry electric power. Since mains electricity is found almost everywhere, PLC works even in remote areas and countries where phone lines are in short supply. PLC also has great potential for saving energy through better control of the electricity network itself.
OPERA beats the noise
Although PLC of one kind or another has existed for several decades, getting the technology to work reliably at broadband speeds is difficult, explains Javier Arriola of Spanish power company Iberdrola. The electrical grid carries large currents at low frequency, whereas broadband involves low-power signals at high frequencies (up to 30 MHz). The weak data signals are easily overwhelmed by electrical “noise” on the grid, yet paradoxically they can interfere with nearby radio transmissions if special measures are not taken to prevent this.
PLC signals can only travel for a few kilometres before they become too feeble, and they cannot pass through transformers at all. The tree-like structure of the power network also presents problems, especially when lines are switched in and out as demand changes.
This places stringent demands on PLC design. The algorithms used to encode the data must be robust, to avoid problems with noise, and the signals need to be frequently re-amplified and routed around obstacles such as transformers. The management system has to take account of changing network paths, and safety is always an issue when working at thousands of volts.
All these issues have been solved, Arriola says, by an EU-supported project which he coordinates. The OPERA consortium has brought together 26 organisations – power and telecoms providers, equipment manufacturers, technology companies and academics –from 11 countries to create a new PLC system that is practical and affordable.
OPERA has a total budget of €29 million. The project began in January 2004, and two years later it had created a PLC system capable of 45 Mbit/s that was advanced enough for Iberdrola to market. This service still had some teething problems, Arriola admits, but a second phase of OPERA that began in January 2007 has already created a new prototype that is more robust and much faster.
The new system is currently on test at three sites in Spain, Portugal and Austria. Its bandwidth of 200 Mbit/s can be shared by several hundred consumers, to create an economical broadband service, or fewer people when higher speeds are needed. The local equipment is easily installed by power company technicians: a repeater at the electrical substation, smaller repeaters in apartment and office blocks, and a small modem-like box for each customer.
Squaring up to standards
OPERA is by no means the only PLC initiative: between 2001 and 2004 there were more than 100 PLC trials in 40 countries. The main standards body, the Institution of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), is now assessing a handful of PLC technologies. An agreed standard is essential, says Arriola, if PLC is to be widely accepted, especially as power companies forge closer links between neighbouring grids. Only large-scale adoption of a single technology will allow the equipment to be made cheaply enough for consumer use.
OPERA is the only PLC technology to have been demonstrated under real conditions in its current form, Arriola says. This lead in testing, plus OPERA’s advantages in terms of speed, robustness and lack of radio interference, put the technology in an excellent position to become a world standard. By the time the project finishes in December 2008, PLC equipment and services based on OPERA should be commercially available, Arriola says.
As well as providing high-speed internet access, video and phone services from any electric socket, OPERA has a great future in controlling the grid. Power companies already use a form of PLC to control their high-voltage lines and switchgear, but until now this has not been possible at the consumer level. PLC could allow remote meter reading and the use of dynamic tariffs to save power and spread demand. “This is a versatile technology that can provide a practical alternative to cable, DSL and wireless broadband,” Arriola concludes.
Source: ICT Results
Thursday, September 20, 2007
DS2 launches Aitana™ the state-of-the-art 200Mbps Powerline Chipset at Intel Developer Forum, Fall 2007
INTEL DEVELOPER FORUM, Booth 347, San Francisco CA– September 18, 2007
– DS2 , a global leader in semiconductors for Powerline Communications, today unveiled Aitana its state-of-the-art integrated 200Mbps chipset, the powerline industry's most innovative and cost-efficient design that further integrates external components into the silicon to deliver the best consumer multi-media experience. DS2 engineers are showcasing Aitana in a demo at Booth 347 at IDF.
Each Aitana chipset has an embedded processor, an Ethernet bridge, an IP stack, a powerful API (Applications Program Interface) and value-added software capabilities which make it a self-contained, flexible, adaptable, programmable and very easy to embed robust powerline solution. The size, performance and price-point of DS2´s new Aitana powerline chipsets are forging the path for reliable embedded networking in today's most popular consumer electronics such as XDSL gateways, computers, televisions, set-top boxes and games consoles.
Aitana technology has been designed with Quality of Service protocols in mind, so that the chipset manages multiple priority levels within the network. Data, VoIP, IPTV and video on-demand services are all assigned sufficient network resources to operate simultaneously.
“DS2 was the first to bring 200 Mbps powerline networking to global consumers. Now with Aitana and through the addition of new software features and more aggressive integration especially on the analog front end, we are again the first to develop the most integrated chipset solution for high-performance, low-cost networking applications” commented Victor Dominguez, Director of Sales, DS2.
In terms of technology readiness third party tests by major service providers show that DS2 products are at a level of maturity that supports prime time multi-media applications Major operators including British Telecom, Telefónica, Telecom Italia, Telia Sonera and others deploy DS2-based 200Mbps technology in their commercial IPTV services. Mr Dominguez added,“ with Aitana we have focused on reducing costs and developing applications that consumers and businesses alike will really benefit from. This new DS2 Aitana chipset that includes a powerful API makes the process of developing lower cost solutions to deliver secure and uninterrupted IPTV, VoIP and video streaming throughout the home much easier for organizations around the world.” “Making Moore's Law a self-fulfilling prophesy we have reduced the component count down to a minimum, and embedded many more of those components onto our silicon including memory, filters, drivers, and lower cost power supplies. This not only retains the high performance it also reduces cost and makes the device easier to integrate into a wide range of consumer products, all of which are connected to powerline networks today. The chipset is based on UPA DHS standards, which will help to make it future-proof, as the UPA is highly cooperative with ETSI and the IEEE’s developments of international standards for powerline communications,” commented, Jose Calero, Director of Technology, DS2.
The new Aitana chipset is fully compliant with the Universal Powerline Association’s (UPA) Digital Home Standard (DHS) for compatibility with the world’s best selling and most widely adopted 200Mbps powerline technology. This ensures coexistence and interoperability with other DHS-compliant in-home and access products requiring a share of bandwidth.
Technical InformationThe Aitana chipset (DSS9101 and DSS7800) has UPA DHS compliant MAC and PHY layers, with a powerful embedded media network processor. The technology includes an 802.1D Ethernet bridge with packet detect and redirect capabilities – that can learn up to 64 MACs and discover the network topology – and a 32-bit microcontroller with an embedded TCP/IP networking stack, allowing data packets to be examined, prioritised and forwarded. The unique TDMA based MAC enhances uninterrupted video-streaming, and is today the only solution able to handle video multi-streaming, neighbour networks and multiple VLANs efficiently by reducing the congestion on the network often associated with CSMA systems.
The analog component (the DSS7800), drives the integration beyond the state-of-the-art, including filtering and power devices, it includes a 48 pin QFN package that runs off a single 5V supply, with individual power down control for each block of the transmission. The highly integrated two-chip solution has configurable frequency notching to support global regulatory compliance. It has hardware-based encryption at strengths of 128-bit AES, 256-bit AES and 3-DES. The chipset includes SPI, GPIO, TDM/I2S and UART interfaces.
FERC: REPORT SHOWS SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN DEMAND RESPONSE AND AMI
FERC: REPORT SHOWS SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN DEMAND RESPONSE AND AMI
This month, FERC released its second annual report on demand response, which found that demand response and advanced metering programs have grown significantly since it published its last report in August 2006. Interestingly, the report lists BPL deployments at TXU (2 million meters), CenterPoint (1.9 million meters) and ConEd (500,000 meters) among the 43 utility AMI projects, representing roughly 10% of the total 40 million advanced meters that will be deployed between 2007 and 2010. That is almost a threefold increase from 2005 to 2006, and it is projected to double again by 2008. The report also cites several state AMI proceedings and bills in California, Connecticut, DC, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Vermont that helped contribute to the increase in AMI during the year. The full report is available on the UPLC Web site here. For more information, contact the UPLC Legal/Regulatory Department.
This month, FERC released its second annual report on demand response, which found that demand response and advanced metering programs have grown significantly since it published its last report in August 2006. Interestingly, the report lists BPL deployments at TXU (2 million meters), CenterPoint (1.9 million meters) and ConEd (500,000 meters) among the 43 utility AMI projects, representing roughly 10% of the total 40 million advanced meters that will be deployed between 2007 and 2010. That is almost a threefold increase from 2005 to 2006, and it is projected to double again by 2008. The report also cites several state AMI proceedings and bills in California, Connecticut, DC, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Vermont that helped contribute to the increase in AMI during the year. The full report is available on the UPLC Web site here. For more information, contact the UPLC Legal/Regulatory Department.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Duke Energy's spending plan has nearly $1 billion for 'smart grid'
Duke Energy's spending plan has nearly $1 billion for 'smart grid'
September 18. 2007
BPL TODAY
Duke Energy plans to spend $975 million over the next five years on what it calls the "utility of the future . . . keep reading(subscription needed) BPL Today
Click and Read:
DUKE ENERGY pushes for AMBIENT/DS2 G2 200Mbps BPL gears in N. Carolina
Click and Read: Ambient Corporation (OTCBB: ABTG) has Expanded Broadband over Power Line Deployment with DUKE ENERGY (NYSE: DUK)
IMHO ... "The above IS A GREAT NEWS for BPL stock investors" !!!
September 18. 2007
BPL TODAY
Duke Energy plans to spend $975 million over the next five years on what it calls the "utility of the future . . . keep reading(subscription needed) BPL Today
Click and Read:
DUKE ENERGY pushes for AMBIENT/DS2 G2 200Mbps BPL gears in N. Carolina
Click and Read:
Ambient Corporation (OTCBB: ABTG) has Expanded Broadband over Power Line Deployment with DUKE ENERGY (NYSE: DUK)IMHO ... "The above IS A GREAT NEWS for BPL stock investors" !!!
Oncor's 'smart meters' kicking off broadband-over-power-line system
Oncor's 'smart meters' kicking off BPL system
07:35 AM CDT on Wednesday,
September 19, 2007
By ELIZABETH SOUDER / The Dallas Morning News
esouder@dallasnews.com
North Texas now officially has the largest broadband-over-power-line system in the country.
Only we don't actually have BPL service yet, not until around the end of the year. But behind the scenes, the new technology is beginning to prove itself and capture the attention of state electricity regulators.
"These are interesting times," said Jim Greer, vice president of asset management and engineering for Oncor, the regulated power-line unit of TXU Corp.
Oncor's BPL network, which the company is building with Current Communications, now covers 106,000 homes. Oncor has installed so-called smart meters at 61,000 of those homes, allowing the electricity company to communicate directly with those meters at any time, Mr. Greer said Tuesday.
Oncor plans to install 130,000 new smart meters by the end of the year.
Mr. Greer said the new technology has already allowed Oncor to detect grid problems before they cause outages, because the company can closely monitor any little disturbance in the grid and pinpoint the problem.
In February, an Oncor engineer, using the new technology, noticed unusual grid activity.
A worker went to the problem spot, noticed a loose bolt at a power line connection and tightened it.
Without the new technology, Oncor wouldn't have known about the loose bolt until it fell off, power went out, and a customer called to complain.
The Public Utility Commission likes the new technology so well that it would like to see every household upgraded. The commission wants new power line companies to be able to disconnect customers remotely, to monitor electricity usage throughout the day, and to communicate with appliances inside the home.
Trouble is, Mr. Greer said, even the cutting-edge smart meters can't do all of that. Not yet, anyway.
So Oncor is working with its technology vendors to come up with an even better meter. Oncor can keep the meters it has already replaced and plans to replace this year, he said.
Mr. Greer said he's pleased his project got a stamp of approval from regulators. But he doesn't know how much the future upgrades will cost.
Oncor said in January that its plans to upgrade 300,000 meters by 2011 would cost $450 million. Since Oncor is regulated, the company can ask the PUC to pass any smart meter costs directly to consumers. The cost would be part of a consumer's electricity bill.
After Oncor installs the equipment, other companies can begin offering consumers special products that draw on the new technology.
Consumers don't yet have electricity monitors that charge various rates throughout the day – or any other nifty product the new technology would support.
A pilot project to test how BPL technology could be used to help electricity consumers cut their bills has been put off for a couple of months.
And separately, DirectTV Inc. plans to offer broadband services over the upgraded electricity lines.
07:35 AM CDT on Wednesday,
September 19, 2007
By ELIZABETH SOUDER / The Dallas Morning News
esouder@dallasnews.com
North Texas now officially has the largest broadband-over-power-line system in the country.
Only we don't actually have BPL service yet, not until around the end of the year. But behind the scenes, the new technology is beginning to prove itself and capture the attention of state electricity regulators.
"These are interesting times," said Jim Greer, vice president of asset management and engineering for Oncor, the regulated power-line unit of TXU Corp.
Oncor's BPL network, which the company is building with Current Communications, now covers 106,000 homes. Oncor has installed so-called smart meters at 61,000 of those homes, allowing the electricity company to communicate directly with those meters at any time, Mr. Greer said Tuesday.
Oncor plans to install 130,000 new smart meters by the end of the year.
Mr. Greer said the new technology has already allowed Oncor to detect grid problems before they cause outages, because the company can closely monitor any little disturbance in the grid and pinpoint the problem.
In February, an Oncor engineer, using the new technology, noticed unusual grid activity.
A worker went to the problem spot, noticed a loose bolt at a power line connection and tightened it.
Without the new technology, Oncor wouldn't have known about the loose bolt until it fell off, power went out, and a customer called to complain.
The Public Utility Commission likes the new technology so well that it would like to see every household upgraded. The commission wants new power line companies to be able to disconnect customers remotely, to monitor electricity usage throughout the day, and to communicate with appliances inside the home.
Trouble is, Mr. Greer said, even the cutting-edge smart meters can't do all of that. Not yet, anyway.
So Oncor is working with its technology vendors to come up with an even better meter. Oncor can keep the meters it has already replaced and plans to replace this year, he said.
Mr. Greer said he's pleased his project got a stamp of approval from regulators. But he doesn't know how much the future upgrades will cost.
Oncor said in January that its plans to upgrade 300,000 meters by 2011 would cost $450 million. Since Oncor is regulated, the company can ask the PUC to pass any smart meter costs directly to consumers. The cost would be part of a consumer's electricity bill.
After Oncor installs the equipment, other companies can begin offering consumers special products that draw on the new technology.
Consumers don't yet have electricity monitors that charge various rates throughout the day – or any other nifty product the new technology would support.
A pilot project to test how BPL technology could be used to help electricity consumers cut their bills has been put off for a couple of months.
And separately, DirectTV Inc. plans to offer broadband services over the upgraded electricity lines.
North Carolina-based Duke Energy Plots Course Beyond the Smart Grid
Sep 11, 2007
North Carolina-based Duke Energy has been quietly turning itself into one of North America's Smart Grid leaders -- if not in the quantity of its short-term deployments, then certainly in the quality of its long-term thinking. SGN Prediction: The approach Duke is taking (to planning) and the demands it is making (to vendors) will set the tone for hundreds of utilities to follow.
SGN recently spent time with Vice President and Chief Technology Officer David Mohler, the man charged with turning Duke Energy into the nation's leading "utility of the future." This article gives a quick overview of Duke's plans, discusses seven underlying principles, and concludes with links to more information.
Background
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) is one of North America's largest electric power companies. Headquartered in Charlotte, NC, it has nearly 37,000 MW of generating capacity (plus 4,000 MW more in Latin America) and serves nearly 4M customers. It operates in the heart of "coal country" in the Southeast and Midwest and derives roughly 70% of its power from coal.
Duke Energy's initial Smart Grid pilots are already underway as it seeks to fine-tune its network configuration for various topographies (urban, suburban, rural). Two examples include:
Piloting advanced metering and distribution automation in Charlotte to test potential communications systems, distribution sensors, meters and in-home applications
Integrating non-BPL communications and multiple meter types in Bloomington, IN to create a Smart Grid "testbed" and to serve a varied customer base that includes industrial, commercial, urban, rural and large campuses
Duke Energy's full-scale Smart Grid rollout will begin in the second half of 2008 and continue for several years.
Key Principles
Over the past 18 months, Duke has met with dozens of top experts, consultants and vendors as it put together a master plan. In our research and interviews, we noted seven prominent principles:
1. A Smart Grid is the foundation for a next-generation utility
Duke is aiming far beyond advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) or the Smart Grid, setting its sights on a fully transformed utility of the future. A Smart Grid is the foundation for that future or, as Mohler puts it: "the central nervous system."
2. A Smart Grid is the enabler of industry consolidation
Provided the Smart Grid is done in an open, plug-and-play fashion, it can make it easier for utilities to merge. As Duke builds out its new system, it hopes to "bolt on new acquisitions," Mohler says, "using the same technology platform for cost efficiency."
3. A Smart Grid is dumb unless it uses open standards
Once you understand that the Smart Grid must make it easier for utilities to combine, then it becomes clear why it must be interoperable. Duke is demanding an IP-based open architecture. "We are getting really, really tough with vendors about standards," says Mohler, "to the point where we are saying 'if you don't publish [your standards], we don't purchase.'"
Mohler also admits that ”meter vendors are the hardest to crack." "They all like their black box,” he says. “But we are pleased that at least two vendors are now working to open things up by putting USB ports on their meters."
Standards are also critical to the back-end information technology (IT) piece. "This is where we have done the most thinking about how to bolt things on," says Mohler. "We can't afford to install it today and then rip it out in two years." At this point, Duke is aiming for a systems-oriented architecture (SOA) with the ability to plug IT apps into a data bus. (See the links at the end for a recent SGN article on SOA.)
4. Establish the business case solely on utility benefits
Some utilities hope to include societal, community and business benefits in their Smart Grid discussions. Duke’s objective is to cost justify its buildout based on system benefits alone.
5. Make the public case by including societal benefits
When it comes to explaining its plans to the customer base, Duke Energy is presenting many public benefits. In particular, it is one of the first utilities to promote grid improvements and energy efficiency as a way to address climate change. As Duke's "save-a-watts" efficiency programs grow, Duke will retire coal plants, thereby reducing emissions.
6. Efficiency can slow demand growth
In May 2007, Duke filed a first-of-its-kind plan with the North Carolina Utilities Commission to make energy efficiency the company's "fifth fuel" side-by-side with nuclear, coal, natural gas and renewables. The plan seeks to reduce demand growth by 1,700 MW in four years.
7. Build out the Smart Grid in phases
Duke's plan begins with the installation of smart meters and communications. Advanced metering will be an initial application, which can also include utility benefits such as improved outage detection and response. From there, Mohler expects to add system optimization "correlating data to allow us to fine-tune voltages and reactive power and optimize on a feeder-by-feeder basis, so we don't overbuild."
Eventually, Duke will begin to experiment with microgrids. "Although it is only in the talking phase, we intend to choose areas where we want to make the investment to operate independently of the larger grid," Mohler says.
Revolution by Evolution
Although Duke Energy is moving forward in a phased manner, its ultimate target is no less than the reinvention of the electric utility. "Our goal is to transform the use of electricity in the same way today’s cell phones replaced rotary dial telephones," explains Ted Schultz, the vice president of Energy Efficiency. Just as no one living in 1977 could have predicted the iPhone of 2007, the company realizes that the Smart Grid it will install beginning in 2008 will enable new applications we cannot yet predict. "One of the things that gets me most excited," Mohler says, "is that we are opening the door to a future we can't even fully imagine."
North Carolina-based Duke Energy has been quietly turning itself into one of North America's Smart Grid leaders -- if not in the quantity of its short-term deployments, then certainly in the quality of its long-term thinking. SGN Prediction: The approach Duke is taking (to planning) and the demands it is making (to vendors) will set the tone for hundreds of utilities to follow.
SGN recently spent time with Vice President and Chief Technology Officer David Mohler, the man charged with turning Duke Energy into the nation's leading "utility of the future." This article gives a quick overview of Duke's plans, discusses seven underlying principles, and concludes with links to more information.
Background
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) is one of North America's largest electric power companies. Headquartered in Charlotte, NC, it has nearly 37,000 MW of generating capacity (plus 4,000 MW more in Latin America) and serves nearly 4M customers. It operates in the heart of "coal country" in the Southeast and Midwest and derives roughly 70% of its power from coal.
Duke Energy's initial Smart Grid pilots are already underway as it seeks to fine-tune its network configuration for various topographies (urban, suburban, rural). Two examples include:
Piloting advanced metering and distribution automation in Charlotte to test potential communications systems, distribution sensors, meters and in-home applications
Integrating non-BPL communications and multiple meter types in Bloomington, IN to create a Smart Grid "testbed" and to serve a varied customer base that includes industrial, commercial, urban, rural and large campuses
Duke Energy's full-scale Smart Grid rollout will begin in the second half of 2008 and continue for several years.
Key Principles
Over the past 18 months, Duke has met with dozens of top experts, consultants and vendors as it put together a master plan. In our research and interviews, we noted seven prominent principles:
1. A Smart Grid is the foundation for a next-generation utility
Duke is aiming far beyond advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) or the Smart Grid, setting its sights on a fully transformed utility of the future. A Smart Grid is the foundation for that future or, as Mohler puts it: "the central nervous system."
2. A Smart Grid is the enabler of industry consolidation
Provided the Smart Grid is done in an open, plug-and-play fashion, it can make it easier for utilities to merge. As Duke builds out its new system, it hopes to "bolt on new acquisitions," Mohler says, "using the same technology platform for cost efficiency."
3. A Smart Grid is dumb unless it uses open standards
Once you understand that the Smart Grid must make it easier for utilities to combine, then it becomes clear why it must be interoperable. Duke is demanding an IP-based open architecture. "We are getting really, really tough with vendors about standards," says Mohler, "to the point where we are saying 'if you don't publish [your standards], we don't purchase.'"
Mohler also admits that ”meter vendors are the hardest to crack." "They all like their black box,” he says. “But we are pleased that at least two vendors are now working to open things up by putting USB ports on their meters."
Standards are also critical to the back-end information technology (IT) piece. "This is where we have done the most thinking about how to bolt things on," says Mohler. "We can't afford to install it today and then rip it out in two years." At this point, Duke is aiming for a systems-oriented architecture (SOA) with the ability to plug IT apps into a data bus. (See the links at the end for a recent SGN article on SOA.)
4. Establish the business case solely on utility benefits
Some utilities hope to include societal, community and business benefits in their Smart Grid discussions. Duke’s objective is to cost justify its buildout based on system benefits alone.
5. Make the public case by including societal benefits
When it comes to explaining its plans to the customer base, Duke Energy is presenting many public benefits. In particular, it is one of the first utilities to promote grid improvements and energy efficiency as a way to address climate change. As Duke's "save-a-watts" efficiency programs grow, Duke will retire coal plants, thereby reducing emissions.
6. Efficiency can slow demand growth
In May 2007, Duke filed a first-of-its-kind plan with the North Carolina Utilities Commission to make energy efficiency the company's "fifth fuel" side-by-side with nuclear, coal, natural gas and renewables. The plan seeks to reduce demand growth by 1,700 MW in four years.
7. Build out the Smart Grid in phases
Duke's plan begins with the installation of smart meters and communications. Advanced metering will be an initial application, which can also include utility benefits such as improved outage detection and response. From there, Mohler expects to add system optimization "correlating data to allow us to fine-tune voltages and reactive power and optimize on a feeder-by-feeder basis, so we don't overbuild."
Eventually, Duke will begin to experiment with microgrids. "Although it is only in the talking phase, we intend to choose areas where we want to make the investment to operate independently of the larger grid," Mohler says.
Revolution by Evolution
Although Duke Energy is moving forward in a phased manner, its ultimate target is no less than the reinvention of the electric utility. "Our goal is to transform the use of electricity in the same way today’s cell phones replaced rotary dial telephones," explains Ted Schultz, the vice president of Energy Efficiency. Just as no one living in 1977 could have predicted the iPhone of 2007, the company realizes that the Smart Grid it will install beginning in 2008 will enable new applications we cannot yet predict. "One of the things that gets me most excited," Mohler says, "is that we are opening the door to a future we can't even fully imagine."
Universal Powerline Association Launches Command & Control Working Group
UPA Command and Control Working Group developing specification to deliver interoperability and coexistence with narrowband and broadband Powerline technologies.
September 11, 2007 – London– After extensive market research, global consumer interactions and resulting technical analysis; the Universal Powerline Association (UPA) has approved and launched the official UPA Command and Control Working Group (CCWG) to meet the real world needs for converging narrowband low-speed and broadband high-speed Powerline technologies.
The UPA will be the first organization to put forth a complete global vision for true end-to-end Powerline networking interoperability and coexistence. With the addition of the CCWG, the UPA will be the only technology organization offering complete, fully compatible Powerline solutions encompassing: Access, In-Home, and In-Building connectivity for industrial control, consumer networking and power utility management applications.
The primary goal of the Command and Control Working Group is to promote forward thinking open protocol packet based Powerline networking for command and control applications that are currently limited or restricted to primarily “on/off” type command structures today and historically.
The working group, through member specialties and its substantial combined knowledge and experience base, shall focus on market needs for residential, commercial and industrial applications covering home automation, gateway access to the home, mission critical controls, smart grid and overall energy applications.
In home automation alone, Parks Associates and EH Publishing recently reported that U.S. revenues generated through the custom integration/installation channel are projected to grow 8% to 9% from 2007 to 2008. Total channel revenues will reach $9.8 billion in 2007 and grow to more than $11 billion in 2008 driven by technology advancements allowing for more retrofit projects and by the growth in sales of existing dealers.
The UPA sees value in setting global specifications and standards that meet the needs of consumers. Eric Morel, Chairman of the UPA commented, “The UPA Command and Control Specification will bring “Command and Control” into the 21st Century becoming the foundation for ongoing advances in overall powerline communication and networking globally.”
UPA member companies that make up the CCWG are as follows (in alphabetical order):
• AcBel Polytech
• Ambient Corporation
• BPL Global
• Current Technologies International
• DS2
• Duke Energy
• Ilevo
• PCN Technology
• Moscow City Electricity Grid
• Toshiba Electronics Europe
• Toyo Networks & System Integration Co.,Ltd
• Watteco
The Working Group is chaired by Paul Bertrand of Watteco: The CCWG initiatives are lead by Jeff Tolnar of BPL Global for outdoor applications and Daniel Drolet of PCN Technology, Inc. for overall infrastructure applications. The scheduled timeline of the UPA Command and Control Technology Specification is to be complete within 9 months. The initial meeting of working group companies is scheduled on September 19th in Paris, France.
Companies having products or interests in these markets are cordially invited to join the UPA – Universal Powerline Association and Command and Control working group by visiting our website at www.upaplc.org, or by contacting the UPA’s Permanent Secretary, Donald Pollock. (Contact details below)
September 11, 2007 – London– After extensive market research, global consumer interactions and resulting technical analysis; the Universal Powerline Association (UPA) has approved and launched the official UPA Command and Control Working Group (CCWG) to meet the real world needs for converging narrowband low-speed and broadband high-speed Powerline technologies.
The UPA will be the first organization to put forth a complete global vision for true end-to-end Powerline networking interoperability and coexistence. With the addition of the CCWG, the UPA will be the only technology organization offering complete, fully compatible Powerline solutions encompassing: Access, In-Home, and In-Building connectivity for industrial control, consumer networking and power utility management applications.
The primary goal of the Command and Control Working Group is to promote forward thinking open protocol packet based Powerline networking for command and control applications that are currently limited or restricted to primarily “on/off” type command structures today and historically.
The working group, through member specialties and its substantial combined knowledge and experience base, shall focus on market needs for residential, commercial and industrial applications covering home automation, gateway access to the home, mission critical controls, smart grid and overall energy applications.
In home automation alone, Parks Associates and EH Publishing recently reported that U.S. revenues generated through the custom integration/installation channel are projected to grow 8% to 9% from 2007 to 2008. Total channel revenues will reach $9.8 billion in 2007 and grow to more than $11 billion in 2008 driven by technology advancements allowing for more retrofit projects and by the growth in sales of existing dealers.
The UPA sees value in setting global specifications and standards that meet the needs of consumers. Eric Morel, Chairman of the UPA commented, “The UPA Command and Control Specification will bring “Command and Control” into the 21st Century becoming the foundation for ongoing advances in overall powerline communication and networking globally.”
UPA member companies that make up the CCWG are as follows (in alphabetical order):
• AcBel Polytech
• Ambient Corporation
• BPL Global
• Current Technologies International
• DS2
• Duke Energy
• Ilevo
• PCN Technology
• Moscow City Electricity Grid
• Toshiba Electronics Europe
• Toyo Networks & System Integration Co.,Ltd
• Watteco
The Working Group is chaired by Paul Bertrand of Watteco: The CCWG initiatives are lead by Jeff Tolnar of BPL Global for outdoor applications and Daniel Drolet of PCN Technology, Inc. for overall infrastructure applications. The scheduled timeline of the UPA Command and Control Technology Specification is to be complete within 9 months. The initial meeting of working group companies is scheduled on September 19th in Paris, France.
Companies having products or interests in these markets are cordially invited to join the UPA – Universal Powerline Association and Command and Control working group by visiting our website at www.upaplc.org, or by contacting the UPA’s Permanent Secretary, Donald Pollock. (Contact details below)
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Telkonet Elevates POP-Vision's In-Elevator Marketing In Puerto Rico
Telkonet Elevates POP-Vision's In-Elevator Marketing In Puerto Rico
Telkonet, Inc. (AMEX:TKO), the leading technology solutions provider for broadband networking, end-to-end service support and energy management, reports that its Telkonet iWire System? has been deployed by electronic point-of-sale display specialist POP-Vision, to deliver data for in-elevator installations. Representing an innovative example of its flexibility, the Telkonet iWire System has been installed by San Juan-based New World Telecom at three office-building locations in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and was selected for its ease and speed of installation ? just four hours at each location ? as well as for its operational reliability.
Installed in elevators at the 23-floor Westernbank World Plaza, the 16-floor Union Plaza and the 16-floor Mercantil Plaza buildings, POP-Vision?s display screens carry news, financial reports and advertising. The data is delivered via the IP NETWORK connectivity of the Telkonet iWire System, which transforms a site?s existing electrical wiring into a data backbone without affecting its power delivery functionality. Using Telkonet?s solution, POP-Vision was able to take advantage of the wiring already supplying electricity into the elevators, avoiding the complications, expense and installation dangers of providing additional cabling in the elevator shafts.
Headquartered in Argentina, POP-Vision specializes in the development and deployment of digital communication media, particularly via display-screen presentation technology in retail and corporate environments.
Pablo Litvachkes, General Manager of the company?s Puerto Rican division, which opened earlier this year, commented: ?This project represents an innovative extension of our electronic point-of-sale marketing. By mounting our display screens inside the elevators, we are able to take full advantage of the fact that people traveling in the elevators are a captive audience; every person taking the elevators has little choice but to watch the information and promotions on our screens. These buildings are located in San Juan?s Hato Rey financial district, and contain corporate offices, banks, law practices and consulates, as well as government offices. We can now offer our advertisers an extremely cost-effective medium for targeting this tightly-defined audience.
?Following recommendations by New World Telecom, we selected the Telkonet iWire System as providing a much simpler and faster installation Option than the other systems we evaluated. Wireless would have entailed a far more extensive installation, involving antennas in the elevator shafts, and is also not necessarily the most reliable mechanism for delivering data to a moving elevator inside a reinforced concrete building! Similarly, the cost and difficulties of installing dedicated CAT 5 cabling also ruled this out as a viable option. Telkonet?s solution was a far easier choice, avoiding all the complications, saving us installation time ? and therefore budget ? and making it less dangerous for the technicians. We achieved excellent connectivity with the system as soon as everything was installed, and we are already planning to roll out this solution at other locations.?
New World Telecom?s Daniel Hurst and RICARDO Torres worked closely with POP-Vision throughout the project, to help achieve the optimum installation. A Telkonet iBridge? interface unit was installed for each computer, located in the top cabin of the elevators. These receive the Internet feed to each elevator, enabling the online advertising, as well as news, stock market and weather reports. Via the IP connectivity of the Telkonet iWire System, the remote computers automatically send a status report every 10 minutes, allowing POP-Vision to monitor their correct functionality and any problems to be detected quickly and easily, thereby ensuring maximum quality of service.
Telkonet, Inc. (AMEX:TKO), the leading technology solutions provider for broadband networking, end-to-end service support and energy management, reports that its Telkonet iWire System? has been deployed by electronic point-of-sale display specialist POP-Vision, to deliver data for in-elevator installations. Representing an innovative example of its flexibility, the Telkonet iWire System has been installed by San Juan-based New World Telecom at three office-building locations in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and was selected for its ease and speed of installation ? just four hours at each location ? as well as for its operational reliability.
Installed in elevators at the 23-floor Westernbank World Plaza, the 16-floor Union Plaza and the 16-floor Mercantil Plaza buildings, POP-Vision?s display screens carry news, financial reports and advertising. The data is delivered via the IP NETWORK connectivity of the Telkonet iWire System, which transforms a site?s existing electrical wiring into a data backbone without affecting its power delivery functionality. Using Telkonet?s solution, POP-Vision was able to take advantage of the wiring already supplying electricity into the elevators, avoiding the complications, expense and installation dangers of providing additional cabling in the elevator shafts.
Headquartered in Argentina, POP-Vision specializes in the development and deployment of digital communication media, particularly via display-screen presentation technology in retail and corporate environments.
Pablo Litvachkes, General Manager of the company?s Puerto Rican division, which opened earlier this year, commented: ?This project represents an innovative extension of our electronic point-of-sale marketing. By mounting our display screens inside the elevators, we are able to take full advantage of the fact that people traveling in the elevators are a captive audience; every person taking the elevators has little choice but to watch the information and promotions on our screens. These buildings are located in San Juan?s Hato Rey financial district, and contain corporate offices, banks, law practices and consulates, as well as government offices. We can now offer our advertisers an extremely cost-effective medium for targeting this tightly-defined audience.
?Following recommendations by New World Telecom, we selected the Telkonet iWire System as providing a much simpler and faster installation Option than the other systems we evaluated. Wireless would have entailed a far more extensive installation, involving antennas in the elevator shafts, and is also not necessarily the most reliable mechanism for delivering data to a moving elevator inside a reinforced concrete building! Similarly, the cost and difficulties of installing dedicated CAT 5 cabling also ruled this out as a viable option. Telkonet?s solution was a far easier choice, avoiding all the complications, saving us installation time ? and therefore budget ? and making it less dangerous for the technicians. We achieved excellent connectivity with the system as soon as everything was installed, and we are already planning to roll out this solution at other locations.?
New World Telecom?s Daniel Hurst and RICARDO Torres worked closely with POP-Vision throughout the project, to help achieve the optimum installation. A Telkonet iBridge? interface unit was installed for each computer, located in the top cabin of the elevators. These receive the Internet feed to each elevator, enabling the online advertising, as well as news, stock market and weather reports. Via the IP connectivity of the Telkonet iWire System, the remote computers automatically send a status report every 10 minutes, allowing POP-Vision to monitor their correct functionality and any problems to be detected quickly and easily, thereby ensuring maximum quality of service.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
The promise of powerband
Last Updated on September 16, 2007, 12:00 am
By Pauline Wangui
An emerging technology may be the newest heavy hitter in the competitive world of broadband Internet service.
Depending on who you talk to, though, it’s either a controversial idea that could jam radio communications or the next big thing for Internet access.
We’re talking ‘power-band’, ‘power-line Internet’ or broadband over power-lines (BPL). This is the use of power-line communications technology (PLC) to provide broadband Internet through ordinary power-lines. A computer or any other device would need only to plug a BPL modem into any outlet in an equipped building to have high-speed Internet access.
This technology promises to offer high-speed access through the most unlikely path — a common electrical outlet. With BPL, you can plug your computer into any electrical outlet in your home and instantly have access to high-speed Internet. Power-line communications technology can also be used to network home computers, peripherals or other networked consumer peripherals as the alternative ‘last mile’ platform.
Despite the proliferation of broadband technology in the last few years, there are still huge parts of the world that don’t have access to high-speed Internet. When weighed against the relatively small number of customers Internet providers would gain, the cost of laying cable and building the necessary infrastructure to provide DSL or cable in rural areas is too great. But if broadband could be served through power-lines, there would be no need to build a new infrastructure.
Great promise
Anywhere there is electricity, there could be broadband. By slightly modifying the current power grids with specialised equipment, the BPL developers could partner with power companies and Internet service providers to bring broadband to everyone with access to electricity.
By just providing high-speed data transmission between all of the electrical plugs in a house or building there is the potential to network all kinds of common appliances in a household. If your alarm clock, light switch and coffee maker could talk each other via a high-speed connection, mornings might look a lot more different.
The idea of using alternating current (AC) power to transfer data is not new. Bundling radio-frequency (RF) energy on the same line with an electric current, data can be transmitted without the need for a separate data line.
BPL seems to offer benefits relative to regular cable or DSL connections. For instance, the extensive infrastructure already available would allow people in remote rural locations to have access to Internet with relatively little equipment investment by the utility. Also, such ubiquitous availability would make it very much easier to motivate telecommunications and cable operators to move quickly to serve rural communities.
BPL holds great promise as a ubiquitous broadband solution that would offer a viable alternative to cable; digital subscriber line, fibre and wireless broadband solutions and it should be one of the local ICT sector’s top priorities.
Like telephone companies, power companies do have lines strung all over the world. The difference is that power companies have power-lines in a lot more places than telephone companies have their infrastructure. This makes power-lines an obvious vehicle for providing Internet to places where these infrastructures have not reached like in the rural areas.
Since BPL signals cannot readily pass through transformers repeaters would have to be attached to the transformers. In the US, it is common to see small transformer hung from a utility pole to service a single house or a small number of houses. Broadband over power-lines has developed faster in Europe than in other parts of the world. It is even more common for a somewhat larger transformer to service ten or 100 houses in Europe. Delivering such BPL over the power grid of a typical Kenyan city might require many more repeaters than would be required in a comparable European city.
BPL can also be used as a backhaul for wireless communications, for instance by hanging WiFi access points or cell-phone base stations on utility poles, thus allowing end-users within a certain range to connect with equipment they already have. In the near future, BPL might also be used as a backhaul for WiMAX networks. Power-line carrier apparatus may also be useful as a backup channel or for very simple low-cost installations.
Like any other technology, BPL has a number of complex issues, the primary one being that power-lines are inherently a very noisy environment. Every time a device turns on or off, it introduces a pop or click into the line. Energy-saving devices often introduce noise into the line. The system must be designed to deal with these natural signalling disruptions and work around them. Universal standards are still being developed to allow interoperability between equipment from different manufacturers and co-existence of multiple power-line systems within the same environment. The advancement of BPL is moving forward as it waits for standards and logistics to be decided by world’s regulating bodies.
BPL can support many applications
Recently, power and telecommunications companies have started tests of the BPL technology. South Africa has already trialled the technology and is offering service in the suburbs of Pretoria with plans to extend coverage to other areas.
In the US the city of Manassas began the first wide-scale deployment of BPL service offering 10Mbps service for under $30 (about Sh2,000) per month to its city residents. In January 2006, a PLC trial was introduced by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in Romania offering phone and broadband internet access.
The technology was introduced to 50 households. If successful, it is hoped that the technology will be extended to other rural areas throughout Romania.
Successful pilots for the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) have been carried out since 2005. These combines fibre, radio link, Wi-fi and PLC to provide broadband Internet access and telephony, It showcases the inter-operability of the PLC technology and the company’s expertise in emerging market design and deployment.
There are many applications that can be supported by BPL. One natural application of power-line communication is the control and telemetry of electrical equipment such as meters, switches, heaters and domestic appliances.
Control and telemetry applications include automatic meter reading, load management, load profile recording, credit control, pre-payment, remote connection, fraud detection and network management, and could be extended to include gas and water.
These could also include street lighting control, remote metering and billing, customer specific tariff optimization, contract management, expense estimation and gas applications safety.
There are also many specialised niche applications which use the mains supply within the home as a convenient data link for telemetry. For example, in the UK and Europe a TV audience monitoring system uses power-line communications as a convenient data path between devices that monitor TV viewing activity in different rooms in a home and a data concentrator which is connected to a telephone modem. Power-line communication is used for transmitting radio programmes over power-lines or over telephone.
Power-line technology also enables in-vehicle network communication of Data, Voice, Music and Video signals by digital means. Advanced digital communication techniques tailored to overcome hostile and noisy environment are implemented in a small size silicon device.
By Pauline Wangui
An emerging technology may be the newest heavy hitter in the competitive world of broadband Internet service.
Depending on who you talk to, though, it’s either a controversial idea that could jam radio communications or the next big thing for Internet access.
We’re talking ‘power-band’, ‘power-line Internet’ or broadband over power-lines (BPL). This is the use of power-line communications technology (PLC) to provide broadband Internet through ordinary power-lines. A computer or any other device would need only to plug a BPL modem into any outlet in an equipped building to have high-speed Internet access.
This technology promises to offer high-speed access through the most unlikely path — a common electrical outlet. With BPL, you can plug your computer into any electrical outlet in your home and instantly have access to high-speed Internet. Power-line communications technology can also be used to network home computers, peripherals or other networked consumer peripherals as the alternative ‘last mile’ platform.
Despite the proliferation of broadband technology in the last few years, there are still huge parts of the world that don’t have access to high-speed Internet. When weighed against the relatively small number of customers Internet providers would gain, the cost of laying cable and building the necessary infrastructure to provide DSL or cable in rural areas is too great. But if broadband could be served through power-lines, there would be no need to build a new infrastructure.
Great promise
Anywhere there is electricity, there could be broadband. By slightly modifying the current power grids with specialised equipment, the BPL developers could partner with power companies and Internet service providers to bring broadband to everyone with access to electricity.
By just providing high-speed data transmission between all of the electrical plugs in a house or building there is the potential to network all kinds of common appliances in a household. If your alarm clock, light switch and coffee maker could talk each other via a high-speed connection, mornings might look a lot more different.
The idea of using alternating current (AC) power to transfer data is not new. Bundling radio-frequency (RF) energy on the same line with an electric current, data can be transmitted without the need for a separate data line.
BPL seems to offer benefits relative to regular cable or DSL connections. For instance, the extensive infrastructure already available would allow people in remote rural locations to have access to Internet with relatively little equipment investment by the utility. Also, such ubiquitous availability would make it very much easier to motivate telecommunications and cable operators to move quickly to serve rural communities.
BPL holds great promise as a ubiquitous broadband solution that would offer a viable alternative to cable; digital subscriber line, fibre and wireless broadband solutions and it should be one of the local ICT sector’s top priorities.
Like telephone companies, power companies do have lines strung all over the world. The difference is that power companies have power-lines in a lot more places than telephone companies have their infrastructure. This makes power-lines an obvious vehicle for providing Internet to places where these infrastructures have not reached like in the rural areas.
Since BPL signals cannot readily pass through transformers repeaters would have to be attached to the transformers. In the US, it is common to see small transformer hung from a utility pole to service a single house or a small number of houses. Broadband over power-lines has developed faster in Europe than in other parts of the world. It is even more common for a somewhat larger transformer to service ten or 100 houses in Europe. Delivering such BPL over the power grid of a typical Kenyan city might require many more repeaters than would be required in a comparable European city.
BPL can also be used as a backhaul for wireless communications, for instance by hanging WiFi access points or cell-phone base stations on utility poles, thus allowing end-users within a certain range to connect with equipment they already have. In the near future, BPL might also be used as a backhaul for WiMAX networks. Power-line carrier apparatus may also be useful as a backup channel or for very simple low-cost installations.
Like any other technology, BPL has a number of complex issues, the primary one being that power-lines are inherently a very noisy environment. Every time a device turns on or off, it introduces a pop or click into the line. Energy-saving devices often introduce noise into the line. The system must be designed to deal with these natural signalling disruptions and work around them. Universal standards are still being developed to allow interoperability between equipment from different manufacturers and co-existence of multiple power-line systems within the same environment. The advancement of BPL is moving forward as it waits for standards and logistics to be decided by world’s regulating bodies.
BPL can support many applications
Recently, power and telecommunications companies have started tests of the BPL technology. South Africa has already trialled the technology and is offering service in the suburbs of Pretoria with plans to extend coverage to other areas.
In the US the city of Manassas began the first wide-scale deployment of BPL service offering 10Mbps service for under $30 (about Sh2,000) per month to its city residents. In January 2006, a PLC trial was introduced by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in Romania offering phone and broadband internet access.
The technology was introduced to 50 households. If successful, it is hoped that the technology will be extended to other rural areas throughout Romania.
Successful pilots for the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) have been carried out since 2005. These combines fibre, radio link, Wi-fi and PLC to provide broadband Internet access and telephony, It showcases the inter-operability of the PLC technology and the company’s expertise in emerging market design and deployment.
There are many applications that can be supported by BPL. One natural application of power-line communication is the control and telemetry of electrical equipment such as meters, switches, heaters and domestic appliances.
Control and telemetry applications include automatic meter reading, load management, load profile recording, credit control, pre-payment, remote connection, fraud detection and network management, and could be extended to include gas and water.
These could also include street lighting control, remote metering and billing, customer specific tariff optimization, contract management, expense estimation and gas applications safety.
There are also many specialised niche applications which use the mains supply within the home as a convenient data link for telemetry. For example, in the UK and Europe a TV audience monitoring system uses power-line communications as a convenient data path between devices that monitor TV viewing activity in different rooms in a home and a data concentrator which is connected to a telephone modem. Power-line communication is used for transmitting radio programmes over power-lines or over telephone.
Power-line technology also enables in-vehicle network communication of Data, Voice, Music and Video signals by digital means. Advanced digital communication techniques tailored to overcome hostile and noisy environment are implemented in a small size silicon device.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Duke Energy Carolinas received licenses for testing broadband over power lines (BPL) equipment !!!
WE2XEH DUKE ENERGY CAROLINAS 0283-EX-PL-2006
Experimental Licenses
August 17, 2007
The list of experimental applications granted between June 1, 2007, and July 1, 2007, released by the FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology contains some license grants of interest to broadcasters. OSU University Multispectral Laboratories at Oklahoma State University–Stillwater received a license to use select frequencies from 530 kHz to 107.5 MHz for providing sensor testing and evaluation services for USSOCOM mobile in Chilocco, Okla. Another license grant allows the laboratories to operate on select frequencies between 175.25 to 747.25 MHz for the same purposes in Flying H, N.M.
Qualcomm received experimental licenses allowing it to use TV Channel 52 for DVB-H testing and Channels 52, 61 and 63 for MediaFLO testing and development in San Diego. Scientific Research Corp. is authorized to operate on Channels 52, 61 and 63 for testing and demonstrating wireless data communications in Townsend, Ga. and Huntsville, Ala.
Two companies received licenses for testing broadband over power lines (BPL) equipment. Duke Energy Carolinas was allowed to use 1.7–60 MHz (which includes VHF TV Channel 2) at temporary fixed locations in Charlotte, N.C. Centerpoint Energy will use frequencies in the 2–34 MHz band for testing BPL equipment at temporary fixed locations in Houston.
Other interesting grants include WE2XFH to Bigelow Development Aerospace Division to use 8482–8492 MHz for communications for inflatable space vehicle research in North Las Vegas, Nev., Nā‘ālehu, Hawaii, North Pole, Alaska; and WE2XEB for Robert J. Raide to operate between 135.7 kHz and 185 kHz for propagation testing, fixed and mobile, in Penn Yan, N.Y. and Wayland, Mass.
Experimental Licenses
August 17, 2007
The list of experimental applications granted between June 1, 2007, and July 1, 2007, released by the FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology contains some license grants of interest to broadcasters. OSU University Multispectral Laboratories at Oklahoma State University–Stillwater received a license to use select frequencies from 530 kHz to 107.5 MHz for providing sensor testing and evaluation services for USSOCOM mobile in Chilocco, Okla. Another license grant allows the laboratories to operate on select frequencies between 175.25 to 747.25 MHz for the same purposes in Flying H, N.M.
Qualcomm received experimental licenses allowing it to use TV Channel 52 for DVB-H testing and Channels 52, 61 and 63 for MediaFLO testing and development in San Diego. Scientific Research Corp. is authorized to operate on Channels 52, 61 and 63 for testing and demonstrating wireless data communications in Townsend, Ga. and Huntsville, Ala.
Two companies received licenses for testing broadband over power lines (BPL) equipment. Duke Energy Carolinas was allowed to use 1.7–60 MHz (which includes VHF TV Channel 2) at temporary fixed locations in Charlotte, N.C. Centerpoint Energy will use frequencies in the 2–34 MHz band for testing BPL equipment at temporary fixed locations in Houston.
Other interesting grants include WE2XFH to Bigelow Development Aerospace Division to use 8482–8492 MHz for communications for inflatable space vehicle research in North Las Vegas, Nev., Nā‘ālehu, Hawaii, North Pole, Alaska; and WE2XEB for Robert J. Raide to operate between 135.7 kHz and 185 kHz for propagation testing, fixed and mobile, in Penn Yan, N.Y. and Wayland, Mass.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Telkonet Deploys Secure Powerline Communications Solution to Over 200 Department of Defense Sites
Wednesday September 12, 9:00 am ET
Telkonet Announces an Additional 600 Sites Have Been Scheduled for Delivery between Now and 2008, Enabling Network Connectivity to DoD Personnel
GERMANTOWN, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Telkonet, Inc. (AMEX: TKO - News), the leading technology solutions provider for broadband networking, end-to-end service support and energy management, today announced it has delivered its FIPS 140-2 validated, powerline networking solution to over 200 Department of Defense (DoD) sites nationwide. The unique Telkonet iWire System(TM) was competitively selected for use within these locations to foster the rapid, cost-effective delivery of secure unclassified network connectivity to DoD personnel. An additional 600 locations have been scheduled for deployment between now and through 2008. Under the engagement, Telkonet is supplying its award-winning hardware, software, fulfillment and delivery services.
John Vasilj, vice president of Telkonet's Government Systems division stated, "With this recent DoD-related effort, we are pleased to announce the continued expansion of the Telkonet iWire System footprint within the Federal, State and Local government markets. Having secured an enterprise-level position within a highly competitive government IT environment, multiple enterprise-grade government certifications and notable past performance references, we are anticipating significant growth in the contracting and delivery of Telkonet-enabled products and services related to network design, deployment, integration, support and maintenance."
Ron Pickett, chief executive officer of Telkonet added, "We have recently seen a significant acceleration in orders within our Government System division, which will be positively reflected in revenues during the second half of this year and well into 2008. The first 200 deployments of this DoD-related engagement represent the delivery of Telkonet-enabled network connectivity to over 1,000 DoD workstations within the last 90 days. We are expecting this aggressive deployment schedule to continue well into 2008."
Telkonet Announces an Additional 600 Sites Have Been Scheduled for Delivery between Now and 2008, Enabling Network Connectivity to DoD Personnel
GERMANTOWN, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Telkonet, Inc. (AMEX: TKO - News), the leading technology solutions provider for broadband networking, end-to-end service support and energy management, today announced it has delivered its FIPS 140-2 validated, powerline networking solution to over 200 Department of Defense (DoD) sites nationwide. The unique Telkonet iWire System(TM) was competitively selected for use within these locations to foster the rapid, cost-effective delivery of secure unclassified network connectivity to DoD personnel. An additional 600 locations have been scheduled for deployment between now and through 2008. Under the engagement, Telkonet is supplying its award-winning hardware, software, fulfillment and delivery services.
John Vasilj, vice president of Telkonet's Government Systems division stated, "With this recent DoD-related effort, we are pleased to announce the continued expansion of the Telkonet iWire System footprint within the Federal, State and Local government markets. Having secured an enterprise-level position within a highly competitive government IT environment, multiple enterprise-grade government certifications and notable past performance references, we are anticipating significant growth in the contracting and delivery of Telkonet-enabled products and services related to network design, deployment, integration, support and maintenance."
Ron Pickett, chief executive officer of Telkonet added, "We have recently seen a significant acceleration in orders within our Government System division, which will be positively reflected in revenues during the second half of this year and well into 2008. The first 200 deployments of this DoD-related engagement represent the delivery of Telkonet-enabled network connectivity to over 1,000 DoD workstations within the last 90 days. We are expecting this aggressive deployment schedule to continue well into 2008."
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Glasnua: Powerline BPL smart grid technology adding intelligence to power utility networks
By : Tom Walsh
Submitted 2007-09-09 05:51:40
Former European cable execs see BPL parallels
Tom Walsh and Patricia McGrath were executives at UPC Broadband -- now owned by Liberty Global. The Netherlands-based firm grew from a 200-user cable modem trial network in Amsterdam in the mid 90s to a customer base of over 1.5 million cable broadband subscribers in 14 countries in 2002. Walsh was vice president of engineering and then operations and McGrath was vice president of network planning and implementation.
The two left UPC and in 2005 they started Glasnua Ltd. in Ireland. They looked at various alternative technologies and soon found BPL. Glasnua, are convinced BPL is the technology it had been looking for and set its sights on deploying BPL for utility services and retail triple play throughout Europe.
Walsh and McGrath spoke to us Thursday from their headquarters in County Kerry in Southwest Ireland. Walsh is CTO and McGrath is director. “Europe will offer incredible opportunity for ‘smart grid’ technology players for the next 10 years,” said Walsh. He believes the key for BPL technology firms to succeed in Europe will be to maintain a presence without draining resources and funds.
www.glasnua.com is set up to help. The firm’s been trying to land BPL projects with utilities but like everywhere, European utilities have resisted.
EU’s pushing BPL
“Utilities have been slow to come to the table so far -- but here in Europe the EU is actively pushing the technology,” said Walsh. Why is the government of Europe pushing BPL?
A BPL initiative is underway to “overcome the energy challenges presented by a rapidly expanding [EU] membership where demand is outstripping supply,” Walsh reported. He and McGrath are involved in that government effort and they’re confident “it will happen,” she added. The firm wants to introduce to Europe some of the main players in the BPL world “that have existing and proven technologies and proven business cases so that we can jump start some technology trials.
“We believe that some of the strongest players have a great opportunity to be in at the beginning” -- with a real possibility to turn those trials into commercial deployments.
Glasnua hopes to avoid “open-ended science experiments -- that I think have been some people’s experience in the past,” said McGrath. Some of the utilities in the EU are trying to “reinvent the wheel,” she added -- and Glasnua wants to show them wheels are “already out there,” she added.
The challenge for Glasnua is to make deals with international BPL technology firms including US firms and represent them in Europe.
The name says it all
Glasnua learned early that utilities aren’t usually interested in hype about the broadband business. True to its name, the firm is focused on utility applications and sees that market offering huge potential. Commercial broadband is a side benefit that can be delivered by firms that lease bandwidth from the utility, he noted.
But the need for the 21st century smart grid is urgent. The EU grew from 15 to 27 countries in the last 3 years, Walsh reminded. Many have rapidly growing economies that are putting incredible demand on power grids.
These states have limited raw resources for energy production and a lack of organization in the power interconnection between countries. The EU doesn’t have a system to manage the grid or know “who’s producing power” and who’s using it.
“Smart grid efficiency and control are finally being seen as the way to integrate and manage the various networks” -- and cut reliance on generators outside the Union, said Walsh.
Meanwhile less developed nations in the EU are trying to build their economies and getting access to broadband is a key ingredient. “Pilot projects are being planned to take the best existing solutions and test them for commercial roll-outs throughout Europe.”
Walsh expects BPL’s role to expand as green power generation projects such as home-based generation, solar panels, wind farms, tidal power and more start populating the grid. Interconnection with those projects will make managing the reliability of the grid ever more complicated -- and some look to BPL as an obvious answer to managing that complexity.
They saw cable get smart
BPL reminds Walsh of the early days of cable. People in 1997 told him cable modem networks “couldn’t happen, it wouldn’t work -- we were dreaming.” BPL is in roughly the same position as cable was then -- with a lack of standards, some engineering challenges in creating networks plus it’s got its nay sayers.
The broadband boom in Europe was similar to “the wave that’s building for smart grids.” Cable traditionally was a one-way, wire-based distribution network. Sounds familiar.
Cable modem technology introduced tremendous advantages by adding IP to those networks.
Suddenly the operator could see the condition of every piece of gear on the network all the way to the customer’s modem.
That gave Walsh a brand new kind of power in making financial decisions. He could make choices on where to spend money on the network -- based not on which technology officer in field wrote the most compelling request, “but on actual live statistics,” he stressed.
His operational crews -- that had only ever been reactive -- could now act proactively based on real-time data and “before stuff breaks.” Walsh would set targets and key performance indicators for his managers and then “see how they were doing -- not based on a score card but actual real statistics, real facts.” www.glasnua.com
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: All of a sudden you had huge efficiencies coming into the operation which means you gave better end-service to the customer. At the same time you were able to reduce costs of providing the service. This was all happening in the cable sector probably in the years of 2002, 2003. Take that benefit and combine it with BPL and you are making that business case look much rosier.
Tom Walsh, CTO, Glasnua
These folks have scaled
Another similarity with cable is the problem utilities face in scaling data networks to cover entire utility footprints. Those are the same problems Walsh tackled with cable-based broadband, he reminded.
It takes “business nerve” to wait for the opportunities to ripen -- and then capital to take advantage of the moment when it’s right.
Superior technology will win out, he added. “For us, ‘smart grids’ is nothing new. www.glasnua.com/aboutus.html
“We deployed similar technology on communications networks and quickly realized the operational benefits when scaling is handled correctly.”
“The smart grids principle is not new. “It’s been [used] in the telecom sector for over four years and has revolutionized both technical and operational management.
“These benefits can now be realized by power utilities, too”
Author Resource:- Tom Walsh is the former VP of Global IP Operations and Engineering for Europe's biggest communications where he deployed cable smart grid solutions, broadband systems and networks throughout the EU, Latin America and Asia Pacific.
Submitted 2007-09-09 05:51:40
Former European cable execs see BPL parallels
Tom Walsh and Patricia McGrath were executives at UPC Broadband -- now owned by Liberty Global. The Netherlands-based firm grew from a 200-user cable modem trial network in Amsterdam in the mid 90s to a customer base of over 1.5 million cable broadband subscribers in 14 countries in 2002. Walsh was vice president of engineering and then operations and McGrath was vice president of network planning and implementation.
The two left UPC and in 2005 they started Glasnua Ltd. in Ireland. They looked at various alternative technologies and soon found BPL. Glasnua, are convinced BPL is the technology it had been looking for and set its sights on deploying BPL for utility services and retail triple play throughout Europe.
Walsh and McGrath spoke to us Thursday from their headquarters in County Kerry in Southwest Ireland. Walsh is CTO and McGrath is director. “Europe will offer incredible opportunity for ‘smart grid’ technology players for the next 10 years,” said Walsh. He believes the key for BPL technology firms to succeed in Europe will be to maintain a presence without draining resources and funds.
www.glasnua.com is set up to help. The firm’s been trying to land BPL projects with utilities but like everywhere, European utilities have resisted.
EU’s pushing BPL
“Utilities have been slow to come to the table so far -- but here in Europe the EU is actively pushing the technology,” said Walsh. Why is the government of Europe pushing BPL?
A BPL initiative is underway to “overcome the energy challenges presented by a rapidly expanding [EU] membership where demand is outstripping supply,” Walsh reported. He and McGrath are involved in that government effort and they’re confident “it will happen,” she added. The firm wants to introduce to Europe some of the main players in the BPL world “that have existing and proven technologies and proven business cases so that we can jump start some technology trials.
“We believe that some of the strongest players have a great opportunity to be in at the beginning” -- with a real possibility to turn those trials into commercial deployments.
Glasnua hopes to avoid “open-ended science experiments -- that I think have been some people’s experience in the past,” said McGrath. Some of the utilities in the EU are trying to “reinvent the wheel,” she added -- and Glasnua wants to show them wheels are “already out there,” she added.
The challenge for Glasnua is to make deals with international BPL technology firms including US firms and represent them in Europe.
The name says it all
Glasnua learned early that utilities aren’t usually interested in hype about the broadband business. True to its name, the firm is focused on utility applications and sees that market offering huge potential. Commercial broadband is a side benefit that can be delivered by firms that lease bandwidth from the utility, he noted.
But the need for the 21st century smart grid is urgent. The EU grew from 15 to 27 countries in the last 3 years, Walsh reminded. Many have rapidly growing economies that are putting incredible demand on power grids.
These states have limited raw resources for energy production and a lack of organization in the power interconnection between countries. The EU doesn’t have a system to manage the grid or know “who’s producing power” and who’s using it.
“Smart grid efficiency and control are finally being seen as the way to integrate and manage the various networks” -- and cut reliance on generators outside the Union, said Walsh.
Meanwhile less developed nations in the EU are trying to build their economies and getting access to broadband is a key ingredient. “Pilot projects are being planned to take the best existing solutions and test them for commercial roll-outs throughout Europe.”
Walsh expects BPL’s role to expand as green power generation projects such as home-based generation, solar panels, wind farms, tidal power and more start populating the grid. Interconnection with those projects will make managing the reliability of the grid ever more complicated -- and some look to BPL as an obvious answer to managing that complexity.
They saw cable get smart
BPL reminds Walsh of the early days of cable. People in 1997 told him cable modem networks “couldn’t happen, it wouldn’t work -- we were dreaming.” BPL is in roughly the same position as cable was then -- with a lack of standards, some engineering challenges in creating networks plus it’s got its nay sayers.
The broadband boom in Europe was similar to “the wave that’s building for smart grids.” Cable traditionally was a one-way, wire-based distribution network. Sounds familiar.
Cable modem technology introduced tremendous advantages by adding IP to those networks.
Suddenly the operator could see the condition of every piece of gear on the network all the way to the customer’s modem.
That gave Walsh a brand new kind of power in making financial decisions. He could make choices on where to spend money on the network -- based not on which technology officer in field wrote the most compelling request, “but on actual live statistics,” he stressed.
His operational crews -- that had only ever been reactive -- could now act proactively based on real-time data and “before stuff breaks.” Walsh would set targets and key performance indicators for his managers and then “see how they were doing -- not based on a score card but actual real statistics, real facts.” www.glasnua.com
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: All of a sudden you had huge efficiencies coming into the operation which means you gave better end-service to the customer. At the same time you were able to reduce costs of providing the service. This was all happening in the cable sector probably in the years of 2002, 2003. Take that benefit and combine it with BPL and you are making that business case look much rosier.
Tom Walsh, CTO, Glasnua
These folks have scaled
Another similarity with cable is the problem utilities face in scaling data networks to cover entire utility footprints. Those are the same problems Walsh tackled with cable-based broadband, he reminded.
It takes “business nerve” to wait for the opportunities to ripen -- and then capital to take advantage of the moment when it’s right.
Superior technology will win out, he added. “For us, ‘smart grids’ is nothing new. www.glasnua.com/aboutus.html
“We deployed similar technology on communications networks and quickly realized the operational benefits when scaling is handled correctly.”
“The smart grids principle is not new. “It’s been [used] in the telecom sector for over four years and has revolutionized both technical and operational management.
“These benefits can now be realized by power utilities, too”
Author Resource:- Tom Walsh is the former VP of Global IP Operations and Engineering for Europe's biggest communications where he deployed cable smart grid solutions, broadband systems and networks throughout the EU, Latin America and Asia Pacific.
Home Networking Leader DS2 ships over 2.6 Million 200Mbps Powerline Communications Chipsets
Now has the largest market share in the emerging high-speed Powerline Communications market for multimedia home networking applications and BPL services
Valencia, SPAIN – 10 September, 2007 – DS2, the leading supplier for Universal Powerline Association (UPA) technology, today announced that total shipments of its 200 Mbps UPA compliant Powerline Communications chipsets for home streaming of HD video content, audio files and other formats, such as photographs, have now reached 2.6 million. These unit sales give DS2 the largest market share in the emerging high-speed Powerline Communications market for multimedia home networking applications and Broadband over Powerline (BPL) services. The company also announced positive half year growth rates representing a 200 per cent increase in revenue – testimony to a buoyant consumer market for DS2’s high speed Integrated Circuits (ICs).
These chipsets have been manufactured by DS2 and shipped to makers of home networking and BPL equipment, including Comtrend, Corinex Communications, D-link, NETGEAR, and Buffalo for use in home networking products, IPTV and BPL services.
"We are pleased to see the powerline market rapidly moving to 200 Mbps in order to satisfy the growing demands of today's ‘Digital Home' applications," said Patrick Lo, Chairman and CEO of NETGEAR. "We look forward to participating with DS2 to enhance the market adoption of this important technology."
DS2 ICs not only meet today’s point-to-point multimedia networking application requirements but support multipoint networking with full self-install capabilities so that a commercial solution based on DS2’s 200 Mbps ICs is ideally suited for use in mass rollout of multimedia commercial services such as IPTV. "We chose DS2 devices because they are leading the market in AV-capable powerline devices and their OEMs offered BT Vision the most feature-rich products at the best price,” said Richard Griffiths, Director of Technology Strategy and Development, BT Retail Technology, BT Vision.
The success of DS2’s 200 Mbps Powerline Communication chipset over competing IC offerings for multimedia applications is due to the ability of DS2 to deliver long-term value to the customer.
“DS2’s 200 Mbps ICs include built in AES encryption which provides the best security available today so that customers can be guaranteed that their network is really their network,” said Peter Sobotka, CEO Corinex Communications.
DS2 products provide the lowest risk of returns, the highest customer satisfaction, and the highest level of compatibility with other systems in the home. This is especially important for multimedia networking because customers expect perfect picture quality.
“All DS2 chips are fully compliant with UPA standards. Other vendors cannot guarantee interoperability between the ICs they are shipping which will add a hefty bill to the Cost of Non Quality for manufacturers”, said Victor Dominguez Chairman of ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute) PLT.
Jorge Blasco, President and CEO of DS2 said: “We are especially pleased that DS2 has reached this significant milestone, the shipment of our two-and-a-half millionth chipset. We were the first to identify the market need for multimedia capable Powerline ICs and the first to offer 200Mbps IC on the market. Clearly these chipsets allow manufacturers and service providers to continue to add value to the home network and to commercial services such as IPTV, with easy-to-use, self-install, self-configuring products that deliver whole home multimedia applications”.
Valencia, SPAIN – 10 September, 2007 – DS2, the leading supplier for Universal Powerline Association (UPA) technology, today announced that total shipments of its 200 Mbps UPA compliant Powerline Communications chipsets for home streaming of HD video content, audio files and other formats, such as photographs, have now reached 2.6 million. These unit sales give DS2 the largest market share in the emerging high-speed Powerline Communications market for multimedia home networking applications and Broadband over Powerline (BPL) services. The company also announced positive half year growth rates representing a 200 per cent increase in revenue – testimony to a buoyant consumer market for DS2’s high speed Integrated Circuits (ICs).
These chipsets have been manufactured by DS2 and shipped to makers of home networking and BPL equipment, including Comtrend, Corinex Communications, D-link, NETGEAR, and Buffalo for use in home networking products, IPTV and BPL services.
"We are pleased to see the powerline market rapidly moving to 200 Mbps in order to satisfy the growing demands of today's ‘Digital Home' applications," said Patrick Lo, Chairman and CEO of NETGEAR. "We look forward to participating with DS2 to enhance the market adoption of this important technology."
DS2 ICs not only meet today’s point-to-point multimedia networking application requirements but support multipoint networking with full self-install capabilities so that a commercial solution based on DS2’s 200 Mbps ICs is ideally suited for use in mass rollout of multimedia commercial services such as IPTV. "We chose DS2 devices because they are leading the market in AV-capable powerline devices and their OEMs offered BT Vision the most feature-rich products at the best price,” said Richard Griffiths, Director of Technology Strategy and Development, BT Retail Technology, BT Vision.
The success of DS2’s 200 Mbps Powerline Communication chipset over competing IC offerings for multimedia applications is due to the ability of DS2 to deliver long-term value to the customer.
“DS2’s 200 Mbps ICs include built in AES encryption which provides the best security available today so that customers can be guaranteed that their network is really their network,” said Peter Sobotka, CEO Corinex Communications.
DS2 products provide the lowest risk of returns, the highest customer satisfaction, and the highest level of compatibility with other systems in the home. This is especially important for multimedia networking because customers expect perfect picture quality.
“All DS2 chips are fully compliant with UPA standards. Other vendors cannot guarantee interoperability between the ICs they are shipping which will add a hefty bill to the Cost of Non Quality for manufacturers”, said Victor Dominguez Chairman of ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute) PLT.
Jorge Blasco, President and CEO of DS2 said: “We are especially pleased that DS2 has reached this significant milestone, the shipment of our two-and-a-half millionth chipset. We were the first to identify the market need for multimedia capable Powerline ICs and the first to offer 200Mbps IC on the market. Clearly these chipsets allow manufacturers and service providers to continue to add value to the home network and to commercial services such as IPTV, with easy-to-use, self-install, self-configuring products that deliver whole home multimedia applications”.
Broadband-over-Powerline Drives Digital Signage Project
Daily News Monday, September 10, 2007
Following the completion of a successful beta test, Toronto-based companies Trimax and its subsidiary PLC Network Solutions have entered into a digital signage project with a US VAR that could lead to roll-out requirements for up to 6,000 screens.
Broadband over PowerLine (BPL) communication technologies have been succesfuly used to run an acquired multi-media network management and distribution technology from Cybersonics Broadcast Services Inc.
BPL is a communications technology that transforms the existing ubiquitous powerline infrastructure and common electrical wiring in commercial and residential buildings into a high-bandwidth network.
Broadband is delivered simultaneously on a single platform to every electrical outlet throughout the home or business. To connect, users simply plug a modem into any electrical outlet, and plug their computer, phone, security camera, digital screen or IP device into the modem.
Derek Pepler, President of Trimax, commented "We are please with the number of enquiries we have received regarding the proprietary software and network management technology recently acquired from Cybersonics. In order to succeed in the digital-signage space we're continuing to think outside the box as there are many challenges to overcome such as ROI. We can achieve significant efficiencies for our clients by using Broadband over PowerLines as the IP distribution platform which lowers the barriers of entry. We quickly and inexpensively integrate plug-and-play communications in virtually any location that has electricity, eliminating the expense and disruption of running cable drops. We are working on client requirements to integrate digital signage with POS systems, RFID and other applications that will enable more interactive networks in the future."
Trimax and its wholly owned subsidiary, PLC Networks Inc., are providers of Broadband over Power Line (BPL) communication technologies. Trimax/PLC specializes in the development, distribution, implementation, and servicing technologies that use the power grid to deliver 128-bit encrypted high-speed symmetrical broadband for data, voice and video transmission.
Following the completion of a successful beta test, Toronto-based companies Trimax and its subsidiary PLC Network Solutions have entered into a digital signage project with a US VAR that could lead to roll-out requirements for up to 6,000 screens.
Broadband over PowerLine (BPL) communication technologies have been succesfuly used to run an acquired multi-media network management and distribution technology from Cybersonics Broadcast Services Inc.
BPL is a communications technology that transforms the existing ubiquitous powerline infrastructure and common electrical wiring in commercial and residential buildings into a high-bandwidth network.
Broadband is delivered simultaneously on a single platform to every electrical outlet throughout the home or business. To connect, users simply plug a modem into any electrical outlet, and plug their computer, phone, security camera, digital screen or IP device into the modem.
Derek Pepler, President of Trimax, commented "We are please with the number of enquiries we have received regarding the proprietary software and network management technology recently acquired from Cybersonics. In order to succeed in the digital-signage space we're continuing to think outside the box as there are many challenges to overcome such as ROI. We can achieve significant efficiencies for our clients by using Broadband over PowerLines as the IP distribution platform which lowers the barriers of entry. We quickly and inexpensively integrate plug-and-play communications in virtually any location that has electricity, eliminating the expense and disruption of running cable drops. We are working on client requirements to integrate digital signage with POS systems, RFID and other applications that will enable more interactive networks in the future."
Trimax and its wholly owned subsidiary, PLC Networks Inc., are providers of Broadband over Power Line (BPL) communication technologies. Trimax/PLC specializes in the development, distribution, implementation, and servicing technologies that use the power grid to deliver 128-bit encrypted high-speed symmetrical broadband for data, voice and video transmission.
Friday, September 07, 2007
Beyond Triple Play: Home Network-Based Services
14:00 – 15:30 | Wednesday, 10 October
Beyond Triple Play: Home Network-Based Services
E2
The digital home — a home where electronic devices communicate and interact — is emerging as the key driver for new services in the telecommunications sector. For the first time the way in which products communicate is as important as the features that they support. Most industry analysts agree that the key differentiator for new consumer products over the coming years will be their ability to network, but networking presents consumers with levels of complexity far beyond stand-alone products. Operators with the ability to provide services that provide real benefits will be able to exploit the wide array of opportunities that home networking technology offers, including the following:
The consumer benefits behind the home network.
Current applications for home networking in IPTV and triple play services.
Alternative technologies for the home network: unterminated coax, wireless and powerline communications.
The latest trends for home networking and home networking devices.
Performance, coverage, and quality of service requirements for innovative operator services.
Security and digital rights management and their relevance to home networked services.
Chairperson
Victor Dominguez
Director, Business Development
DS2 Mr. Dominguez is the co-founder of DS2 and is in charge of strategy and standardization and business development. He has participated in the developments of the first generation of DS2 45 Mbps PLC technology. Since mid-2000 Mr. Dominguez was appointed as the head of the strategy and standardization department of DS2, actively promoting the generation of high quality standards for powerline communications in Europe and worldwide. And recently he has also been appointed to his current position.
Speakers
Elena Branet
Senior Marketing Manager, EMEA, Microsoft TV
Microsoft Corporation Ms. Branet is responsible for developing and implementing all marketing programs for the Microsoft TV Group across the Europe, Middle East, and Africa region. She drives the overall strategy and vision for Microsoft TV's marketing and PR initiatives in the EMEA region, including the management of all marketing communication functions for the group. Ms. Branet also works closely with customers and partners to develop and execute joint marketing programs. She comes to Microsoft with more than 12 years of marketing experience.
Carlos Cordeiro
Senior Manager, DPR/Digital Home
Portugal Telecom
Senior Manager, Product Division
YDreams Mr. Cordeiro joined Portugal Telecom in 1979 as an engineer for the switching department. He was responsible for the introduction of digital switching in the Lisbon area network. From 1992-1994, Mr. Cordeiro was responsible for core network operations in the Lisbon area. From 1996-1998, he was responsible for operational process development. Mr. Cordeiro had responsibility for operational management systems and processes from 1999-2002. In 2003, he was responsible for network and systems development. From 2003 to the present, he has been involved in business and marketing development for the digital home.
Harold Fitch
General Manager, Europe and South America
Comtrend Mr. Fitch has led sales and operations in Europe and South America since 2001. With 10 years experience in the telecommunications sector, he plays a key role in the development of Comtrend's brand and business. By identifying innovative markets and services and forging strategic alliances, Mr. Fitch has helped Comtrend become a recognized player in the European market. Previous to Comtrend, he held senior positions at 3Com, where he focused on the telecommunications sector.
Beyond Triple Play: Home Network-Based Services
E2
The digital home — a home where electronic devices communicate and interact — is emerging as the key driver for new services in the telecommunications sector. For the first time the way in which products communicate is as important as the features that they support. Most industry analysts agree that the key differentiator for new consumer products over the coming years will be their ability to network, but networking presents consumers with levels of complexity far beyond stand-alone products. Operators with the ability to provide services that provide real benefits will be able to exploit the wide array of opportunities that home networking technology offers, including the following:
The consumer benefits behind the home network.
Current applications for home networking in IPTV and triple play services.
Alternative technologies for the home network: unterminated coax, wireless and powerline communications.
The latest trends for home networking and home networking devices.
Performance, coverage, and quality of service requirements for innovative operator services.
Security and digital rights management and their relevance to home networked services.
Chairperson
Victor Dominguez
Director, Business Development
DS2 Mr. Dominguez is the co-founder of DS2 and is in charge of strategy and standardization and business development. He has participated in the developments of the first generation of DS2 45 Mbps PLC technology. Since mid-2000 Mr. Dominguez was appointed as the head of the strategy and standardization department of DS2, actively promoting the generation of high quality standards for powerline communications in Europe and worldwide. And recently he has also been appointed to his current position.
Speakers
Elena Branet
Senior Marketing Manager, EMEA, Microsoft TV
Microsoft Corporation Ms. Branet is responsible for developing and implementing all marketing programs for the Microsoft TV Group across the Europe, Middle East, and Africa region. She drives the overall strategy and vision for Microsoft TV's marketing and PR initiatives in the EMEA region, including the management of all marketing communication functions for the group. Ms. Branet also works closely with customers and partners to develop and execute joint marketing programs. She comes to Microsoft with more than 12 years of marketing experience.
Carlos Cordeiro
Senior Manager, DPR/Digital Home
Portugal Telecom
Senior Manager, Product Division
YDreams Mr. Cordeiro joined Portugal Telecom in 1979 as an engineer for the switching department. He was responsible for the introduction of digital switching in the Lisbon area network. From 1992-1994, Mr. Cordeiro was responsible for core network operations in the Lisbon area. From 1996-1998, he was responsible for operational process development. Mr. Cordeiro had responsibility for operational management systems and processes from 1999-2002. In 2003, he was responsible for network and systems development. From 2003 to the present, he has been involved in business and marketing development for the digital home.
Harold Fitch
General Manager, Europe and South America
Comtrend Mr. Fitch has led sales and operations in Europe and South America since 2001. With 10 years experience in the telecommunications sector, he plays a key role in the development of Comtrend's brand and business. By identifying innovative markets and services and forging strategic alliances, Mr. Fitch has helped Comtrend become a recognized player in the European market. Previous to Comtrend, he held senior positions at 3Com, where he focused on the telecommunications sector.
Making Energy Hogs Pay
Making Energy Hogs Pay
September 07, 2007
Given that commercial buildings are responsible for about 20 percent of the United States's greenhouse gas emissions, encouraging landlords and tenants to cut electricity is one key way to fight global warming. Problem is, there has been little incentive in places like California to do so. Why? Because in a skyscraper like the one Green Wombat inhabits in downtown San Francisco, state regulations have allowed only one meter and the landlord typically divides up the utility bill according to the amount of square feet each tenant leases. So, even if Tenant A installs energy-efficient lighting and takes other measures to cut electricity consumption but happens to have the biggest suite in the building, it'll get stuck with the biggest utility bill. And though Tenant B might lease offices half the size of Tenant A's it'll pay far less even if it's an energy hog and uses more power than its green neighbor.
On Thursday California regulators moved to remedy that conundrum by allowing utility PG&E (PCG) and building owners to install meters for each tenant. The idea is that "submetering" will provide an incentive for tenants to conserve energy by making them pay only for the electricity they actualloy use.
"The inability for commercial building tenants to reap in the benefits of investments made in energy efficiency and demand response has been a hurdle," said California Public Utilities Commission president Michael Peevey in a statement. "All it takes is price signals and a customer willing to make an investment in order to take advantage of the potential cost savings.” Added PUC commissioner Dian Grueneich: "The prohibition on submetering in commercial buildings has been a barrier to energy efficiency for decades. This decision sets an example that the other utilities and the rest of the country can follow."
Presumably, the other two big California utilities, Southern California Edison (EIX) and San Diego Gas & Electric (SRE), will be able to implement submetering as well. PG&E and the Building Owners and Managers Association - which manages 600 million square feet of office space - have agreed to sub-metering. The hitch is that tenants - who directly control 1,600 megawatts of energy demand, according to the PUC - will have to agree to submetering in their lease. But if tenants can reduce electricity demand by 20 percent, the PUC says California can avoid building a 320-megawatt gas-fired power plant.
September 07, 2007
Given that commercial buildings are responsible for about 20 percent of the United States's greenhouse gas emissions, encouraging landlords and tenants to cut electricity is one key way to fight global warming. Problem is, there has been little incentive in places like California to do so. Why? Because in a skyscraper like the one Green Wombat inhabits in downtown San Francisco, state regulations have allowed only one meter and the landlord typically divides up the utility bill according to the amount of square feet each tenant leases. So, even if Tenant A installs energy-efficient lighting and takes other measures to cut electricity consumption but happens to have the biggest suite in the building, it'll get stuck with the biggest utility bill. And though Tenant B might lease offices half the size of Tenant A's it'll pay far less even if it's an energy hog and uses more power than its green neighbor.
On Thursday California regulators moved to remedy that conundrum by allowing utility PG&E (PCG) and building owners to install meters for each tenant. The idea is that "submetering" will provide an incentive for tenants to conserve energy by making them pay only for the electricity they actualloy use.
"The inability for commercial building tenants to reap in the benefits of investments made in energy efficiency and demand response has been a hurdle," said California Public Utilities Commission president Michael Peevey in a statement. "All it takes is price signals and a customer willing to make an investment in order to take advantage of the potential cost savings.” Added PUC commissioner Dian Grueneich: "The prohibition on submetering in commercial buildings has been a barrier to energy efficiency for decades. This decision sets an example that the other utilities and the rest of the country can follow."
Presumably, the other two big California utilities, Southern California Edison (EIX) and San Diego Gas & Electric (SRE), will be able to implement submetering as well. PG&E and the Building Owners and Managers Association - which manages 600 million square feet of office space - have agreed to sub-metering. The hitch is that tenants - who directly control 1,600 megawatts of energy demand, according to the PUC - will have to agree to submetering in their lease. But if tenants can reduce electricity demand by 20 percent, the PUC says California can avoid building a 320-megawatt gas-fired power plant.
HomePlug® Powerline Technology Finds Large Audience for Multimedia Distribution at CEDIA EXPO 2007
September 06, 2007 12:55 PM Eastern Daylight Time
– DIRECTV and Russound Head List of HomePlug Powerline Alliance Members in Multiple Markets –
CEDIA EXPO 2007
DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Driving the worldwide acceptance of high-speed networking over power lines, the HomePlug® Powerline Alliance today announced that a number of new member companies at CEDIA have plans for products incorporating HomePlug technology that will further propel the global powerline standard into a variety of new markets. Among the HomePlug member companies at CEDIA are DIRECTV, long-time member EchoStar and Russound in the multimedia space. Additionally, VisualGate Systems in the security industry, with Cellnet Technology, Inc. and Grid Net, Inc. in the “green power” market, have recently joined the Alliance, adding to the market diversity that the HomePlug Powerline Alliance continues to address.
As a member of the Alliance, DIRECTV uses HomePlug integrated circuit solutions enabling customers to connect broadband services and home computers with their DIRECTV Plus® HD DVRs to enjoy photos and music content on their TVs.
Russound, a company focused on whole-house multimedia distribution, will embed HomePlug AV technology in a variety of their multiroom audio-video systems, making life simpler for the installer and more enjoyable for the consumer.
“The HomePlug Alliance provides the industry direction and inspires the consumer confidence we believe is necessary for a robust entertainment experience,” said Romulo Pontual, CTO of DIRECTV, Inc.
"We're looking forward to being an active member of the HomePlug Alliance,” said Russound Vice President of Strategic Development, Jeff Kussard. "PLC technology has proven its efficiency and reliability in the field, and it is the clear choice among retrofit or non-invasive wiring solutions. HomePlug–based products represent an exciting new avenue for Russound, and we look forward to creating compelling products and applications based on this standard.”
In addition to Russound and DIRECTV, EchoStar has brought additional multimedia momentum to the Alliance through their DISH Network, the second largest direct-to-home satellite service in the United States.
VisualGate Systems’ membership to the HomePlug Alliance highlights our focus on utilizing BPL for home security. Additionally, with consumers’ growing interest in environmental consciousness, “green power” or “smart grid” applications have become a key focus for the HomePlug Alliance. Grid Net and Cellnet Technology, two companies focused on utilizing powerline communications for these applications, have also signed on with the HomePlug Alliance.
“The addition of these key companies underscores the commitment of major industry leaders worldwide to adopt HomePlug’s powerline communications standards-based technology and further demonstrates the continued momentum of the HomePlug Powerline Alliance,” said Matthew Theall from Intel Corporation, who also serves as president of the HomePlug Powerline Alliance. “HomePlug technologies allow companies to provide the most seamless and user-friendly in-home powerline connectivity solution, while also supporting a wide variety of to-the-home and on-the-grid applications.”
In addition to DIRECTV, EchoStar and Russound, other HomePlug Alliance member companies exhibiting at CEDIA EXPO 2007 include IOGEAR, Leviton, LG Electronics, Samsung, Sharp and Texas Instruments.
Founded in 2000, the HomePlug Alliance is the only powerline communications organization to offer an open-standard based technology backed by multiple silicon providers and a strict product certification process developed by product manufacturers worldwide. For more information on the HomePlug Powerline Alliance, please visit www.homeplug.org.
– DIRECTV and Russound Head List of HomePlug Powerline Alliance Members in Multiple Markets –
CEDIA EXPO 2007
DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Driving the worldwide acceptance of high-speed networking over power lines, the HomePlug® Powerline Alliance today announced that a number of new member companies at CEDIA have plans for products incorporating HomePlug technology that will further propel the global powerline standard into a variety of new markets. Among the HomePlug member companies at CEDIA are DIRECTV, long-time member EchoStar and Russound in the multimedia space. Additionally, VisualGate Systems in the security industry, with Cellnet Technology, Inc. and Grid Net, Inc. in the “green power” market, have recently joined the Alliance, adding to the market diversity that the HomePlug Powerline Alliance continues to address.
As a member of the Alliance, DIRECTV uses HomePlug integrated circuit solutions enabling customers to connect broadband services and home computers with their DIRECTV Plus® HD DVRs to enjoy photos and music content on their TVs.
Russound, a company focused on whole-house multimedia distribution, will embed HomePlug AV technology in a variety of their multiroom audio-video systems, making life simpler for the installer and more enjoyable for the consumer.
“The HomePlug Alliance provides the industry direction and inspires the consumer confidence we believe is necessary for a robust entertainment experience,” said Romulo Pontual, CTO of DIRECTV, Inc.
"We're looking forward to being an active member of the HomePlug Alliance,” said Russound Vice President of Strategic Development, Jeff Kussard. "PLC technology has proven its efficiency and reliability in the field, and it is the clear choice among retrofit or non-invasive wiring solutions. HomePlug–based products represent an exciting new avenue for Russound, and we look forward to creating compelling products and applications based on this standard.”
In addition to Russound and DIRECTV, EchoStar has brought additional multimedia momentum to the Alliance through their DISH Network, the second largest direct-to-home satellite service in the United States.
VisualGate Systems’ membership to the HomePlug Alliance highlights our focus on utilizing BPL for home security. Additionally, with consumers’ growing interest in environmental consciousness, “green power” or “smart grid” applications have become a key focus for the HomePlug Alliance. Grid Net and Cellnet Technology, two companies focused on utilizing powerline communications for these applications, have also signed on with the HomePlug Alliance.
“The addition of these key companies underscores the commitment of major industry leaders worldwide to adopt HomePlug’s powerline communications standards-based technology and further demonstrates the continued momentum of the HomePlug Powerline Alliance,” said Matthew Theall from Intel Corporation, who also serves as president of the HomePlug Powerline Alliance. “HomePlug technologies allow companies to provide the most seamless and user-friendly in-home powerline connectivity solution, while also supporting a wide variety of to-the-home and on-the-grid applications.”
In addition to DIRECTV, EchoStar and Russound, other HomePlug Alliance member companies exhibiting at CEDIA EXPO 2007 include IOGEAR, Leviton, LG Electronics, Samsung, Sharp and Texas Instruments.
Founded in 2000, the HomePlug Alliance is the only powerline communications organization to offer an open-standard based technology backed by multiple silicon providers and a strict product certification process developed by product manufacturers worldwide. For more information on the HomePlug Powerline Alliance, please visit www.homeplug.org.
Cybersonics Sound Contracted to Deploy BPL Solution Technology Within Canadian Shopping Mall.
Sep 06, 2007 15:03 ET
Cybersonics Sound Contracted to Deploy BPL Solution Technology Within Canadian Shopping Mall. Recurring Revenues Anticipated to Expand to Various Malls in an Estimated $132 M Potential Market
TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Sept. 6, 2007) - Trimax Corporation (OTCBB:TMXO) and subsidiaries PLC Networks Inc. and Cybersonics Sound Technologies Inc. announced today that it has been contracted to deploy its Broadband over PowerLine (BPL) communication solutions within a Canadian Shopping Mall (Hopedale Mall). The contract shall deliver to Cybersonics a recurring revenue base which the Company believes will serve as a foundation for securing several more clients within the 44,000 potential malls in North America.
Hopedale Mall has similar problems to many malls with providing safe, reliable and robust broadband connectivity for its specialty leasing, especially in common areas. Both permanent and temporary tenants now have luxury merchandising units and interactive kiosks that require secure communications networks to process credit card payments, run digital signage, query inventory and product information and run computers, printers and fax machines. Security breaches by hackers in wireless networks have cost retailers millions and dropping or pulling telephone and internet cable was prohibitively expensive.
"By introducing Broadband over PowerLines as an internal distribution platform for IP solutions, we have created an evolutionary breakthrough in our ability to quickly and inexpensively install a permanent communication network. With the upcoming holiday season, this is particularly advantageous to temporary tenants in the common areas." said Jim Addario, founder and CEO of Cybersonics. "BPL connectivity allows our Shopping Centre and Large Retail clients the ease, flexibility and option of installing IP applications in virtually any location that has an electrical circuit, eliminating the expense and disruption of running cable drops. BPL achieves significant efficiencies and is positioned to allow them to deliver rapid, low-cost, fully integrated marketing and communication networks." Addario added.
Temporary tenants have become integral part of the shopping center industry since their introduction in the 1970's. Once considered a challenge, carts, kiosks and other temporary tenants today can add as much as 15 percent to a shopping center owner's bottom line. Specialty leasing has grown into a $12 billion business today from $3 billion a decade ago, according to the trade journal Specialty Retail Report.
Derek Pepler, President and CEO of Trimax, stated, "We are very excited about how quickly Trimax / PLC Networks and Cybersonics have been able to jointly leverage each other's expertise, technology, resources and relationships We now offer our clients one-stop shopping for plug-and-play networked digital signage, media content management, internet connectivity, point-of-sale systems, VoIP telephones, surveillance cameras, kiosks, wireless access points, alarm systems, energy monitoring and meter reading systems that are customized across a number of industries."
Cybersonics Sound Contracted to Deploy BPL Solution Technology Within Canadian Shopping Mall. Recurring Revenues Anticipated to Expand to Various Malls in an Estimated $132 M Potential Market
TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Sept. 6, 2007) - Trimax Corporation (OTCBB:TMXO) and subsidiaries PLC Networks Inc. and Cybersonics Sound Technologies Inc. announced today that it has been contracted to deploy its Broadband over PowerLine (BPL) communication solutions within a Canadian Shopping Mall (Hopedale Mall). The contract shall deliver to Cybersonics a recurring revenue base which the Company believes will serve as a foundation for securing several more clients within the 44,000 potential malls in North America.
Hopedale Mall has similar problems to many malls with providing safe, reliable and robust broadband connectivity for its specialty leasing, especially in common areas. Both permanent and temporary tenants now have luxury merchandising units and interactive kiosks that require secure communications networks to process credit card payments, run digital signage, query inventory and product information and run computers, printers and fax machines. Security breaches by hackers in wireless networks have cost retailers millions and dropping or pulling telephone and internet cable was prohibitively expensive.
"By introducing Broadband over PowerLines as an internal distribution platform for IP solutions, we have created an evolutionary breakthrough in our ability to quickly and inexpensively install a permanent communication network. With the upcoming holiday season, this is particularly advantageous to temporary tenants in the common areas." said Jim Addario, founder and CEO of Cybersonics. "BPL connectivity allows our Shopping Centre and Large Retail clients the ease, flexibility and option of installing IP applications in virtually any location that has an electrical circuit, eliminating the expense and disruption of running cable drops. BPL achieves significant efficiencies and is positioned to allow them to deliver rapid, low-cost, fully integrated marketing and communication networks." Addario added.
Temporary tenants have become integral part of the shopping center industry since their introduction in the 1970's. Once considered a challenge, carts, kiosks and other temporary tenants today can add as much as 15 percent to a shopping center owner's bottom line. Specialty leasing has grown into a $12 billion business today from $3 billion a decade ago, according to the trade journal Specialty Retail Report.
Derek Pepler, President and CEO of Trimax, stated, "We are very excited about how quickly Trimax / PLC Networks and Cybersonics have been able to jointly leverage each other's expertise, technology, resources and relationships We now offer our clients one-stop shopping for plug-and-play networked digital signage, media content management, internet connectivity, point-of-sale systems, VoIP telephones, surveillance cameras, kiosks, wireless access points, alarm systems, energy monitoring and meter reading systems that are customized across a number of industries."
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