HomePlug Alliance completes Netricity interop event

Powerline technology standards body the HomePlug Alliance has completed what it describes as the world’s first multi-vendor interoperability event for HomePlug Netricity technology. HomePlug’s Netricity programme promotes the adoption of products built on the low-frequency, narrow-band IEEE 1901.2 standard.

According to the HomePlug Alliance, a number of member companies collaborated in the event.

The programme addresses the need for long-range powerline networking for outside-the-home, smart grid, smart city and industrial control applications, according to the body. It provides for dense urban and sparse rural communications using frequencies below 500kHz.  The technology also incorporates an IEEE 802.15.4 based media access control (MAC) layer which is key to enabling hybrid networks such as combinations of wired and wireless, according to the HomePlug Alliance.

The event, held in Paris on January 20-21, included Cisco, Itron, Semtech (EnVerv) and Texas Instruments.

“HomePlug is pleased to see growing support for the Netricity programme with this landmark interoperability event,” said Rob Ranck, president, HomePlug Alliance. “

This event is a key step to establishing product interoperability toward finalisation of the Netricity certification programme, which will provide customers such as utilities and energy companies a sizable product portfolio from which to choose.”