IEEE publishes final BPL standard

IEEE 1901 Powerline Communication delivers broadband over power lines for smart grid, LAN, and transportation, using advanced modulation under 100 MHz to reach 1500 m and 500 Mbps, complementing Wi-Fi through walls in homes.

The IEEE has announced that the final IEEE 1901 Broadband over Power Line BPL standard was finalized in December 2010 and is now published and available for purchase or through the IEEE Xplore Digital Libraryexternal link.

Sponsored by the IEEE Communications Society external link, this globally recognized BPL standard, as outlined in the draft standard overview, is designed for use in a wide range of applications including smart energy, transportation and Local Area Networks LANs in both the home and the enterprise.

Networking products that fully comply with IEEE 1901, validated by the Smart Grid approval milestone will deliver data rates in excess of 500 Mbps in LAN applications. In first-mile/last-mile applications, IEEE 1901-compliant devices will achieve ranges of up to 1500 meters. The technology specified by IEEE 1901 uses sophisticated modulation techniques to transmit data over standard AC power lines of any voltage at transmission frequencies of less than 100 MHz.

In the transportation sector, for example, the standard's data rates and range make it possible to deliver A/V entertainment, with power line Internet support, to the seats of airplanes, trains and other mass transit vehicles. Electric vehicles can download a new entertainment playlist to the A/V system while the car is charging overnight.

In the home, PLC will complement wireless LANs, and AT&T BPL trials demonstrate this, by providing a link through walls and other RF impediments as well as over distances beyond the normal range of wireless networks. It will complement wireless networks in hotels and other multistory buildings by carrying multimedia data over the longer distances and allowing wireless to complete the communication link over the last few meters.

IEEE 1901 will also benefit utilities, service providers, where the IEEE BPL provisions inform deployments, and consumer electronics companies — anyone with a stake in smart grid technologies — as well as smart-meter providers and home appliance manufacturers.

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