News

UPA Invites Participation on PowerMAX, the new 400+Mbps Powerline Technology Development (9/5/2008)

UPA Developing Next-Gen Backwards Compatible Powerline Technology for Access, Smart Grid, In-Building and In-Home Markets

The Universal Powerline Association, a leading industry consortium providing a forum for the development of interoperable and open specifications for Powerline communications- is inviting service providers, electricity utilities, technology providers, network operators and other industry professionals to participate in the development of PowerMAX, the next generation specification for Powerline communications technology which will deliver 400Mbps and beyond.

The first step in this process is the development of a Market Requirements Document (MRD) to define the goals for the PowerMAX specification including bandwidth requirements and underlying technology parameters such as physical layer throughput. Next generation Powerline communications products must support bandwidth hungry applications including FTTH, Multi-Dwelling Unit Networking, Broadband over Powerline Access applications and home networking applications including multi-channel HD-IPTV delivery or multi-room PVR. These new applications are driving the need for increased bandwidth beyond what today´s Powerline technologies can achieve.

“UPA customers are demanding more and more bandwidth to deliver faster bandwidths to and within the home to compete and compliment FTTH and other Access technologies. Large MDU’s also need much more bandwidth as consumers and businesses alike are sharing the electrical infrastructure and the corresponding bandwidth. Consumers are also migrating to HD and multi-room HD PVR, again requiring more speed. The PowerMAX specification will reach speeds of 400Mbps and beyond to support our customers’ current and future demands, all with complete interoperability with our 200Mbps technology and complete interoperability between Access and In Home applications”, said Brian Donnelly, Chairman of the UPA.

"The question we need to ask is not what is the size of the market today, but how can we serve our customers needs moving forward. We are beginning with the Market Requirements Document to ensure that customer needs are served by the future specification.” said Frank Chuang of Comtrend Communications, Board Member of the UPA.
Daniel Drolet, UPA Marketing Working Group Chairman commented that, “the MRD process is expected to be completed in 3 months, with integrated circuits and products available in 2009. We will invite technology providers to submit proposals once the MRD process is completed.”

PowerMAX, the 3rd generation Powerline communications technology MRD development process is open to all interested parties.

www.upaplc.org