The IEEE P1901™ Working Group has confirmed and approved the baseline for IEEE’s standard related to Broadband Over Power Lines (BPL), IEEE Standard 1901, " Draft Standard for Broadband over Power Line Networks: Medium Access Control and Physical Layer Specifications."
Three proposals addressing more than 400 functional and technical requirements in three critical areas of BPL, in-home, access and coexistence, were approved to form the baseline of the standard. The proposals received more than 85% of affirmative votes within the working group; exceeding the 75% required threshold.
The baseline specification of more than 2000 pages includes FFT and Wavelet OFDM modulation schemes and an option for compatibility with the ITU-T Study Group 15/Q4 G.hn Recommendation under development. The in-home part allows low-voltage wiring in structures to carry digital content; the access part provides for transmission of broadband content on the medium- and low-voltage power lines that feed homes; and the coexistence and interoperability part ensures all equipment and devices used on BPL networks are compatible.
"This is a major milestone in the development of a BPL standard," says Jean-Philippe Faure, Chair of the IEEE P1901 Working Group. "The approved proposals form the baseline content for the standard. Our next steps will be to harmonize and improve the different sections and then finalize the draft standard for IEEE Sponsor Ballot by the end of year."
The draft standard will be developed over the next several months. The P1901 Working Group already formed the first Technical Sub Group dedicated to this task. The Working Group will next convene from 3-6 February 2009 in Miami, Florida.
