SPiDCOM Successfully Demonstrates Omega's 1Gbps PLC Technology

PARIS, March 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- SPiDCOM Technologies, Leader of the PLC (Powerline Communication) Work Package of the OMEGA European Research Project, is Paving the way for its Future Gigabit Class SoC

Starting in January 2008, OMEGA is a European research project whose aim is to develop the next generation of home networking. Its innovation dwells in the creation of a multiple-technology gigabit network based on powerline communication, radio and visible light communication, the complete system being commanded by a common media access control layer. Known as the Inter-MAC, this technology independent layer provides services as well as connectivity to any number of devices in any room of the home; furthermore, it allows the service to follow the user from device to device.

Inside the OMEGA project, SPiDCOM is the leader of the PLC work package, whose member list is available on the OMEGA website http://www.ict-omega.eu. Choosing HomePlug AV standard as a reference, the group has pushed PLC technology to new limits enabling PHY throughputs up to 1 Gbps, while being fully compatible with the wide installed base of HomePlug AV products. This compatibility is a key requirement with respect to the PLC market situation: HomePlug and HomePlug AV devices currently account for more than 80 percent of the world's broadband powerline communication market, with over 65 million devices sold to date and shipments forecasted to reach 100 million by year's end.

On February 23-24 2011, during the 3rd OMEGA Open Event, SPiDCOM exhibited the two FPGA based platforms implementing the results of the 3-year research effort. This demonstrator is a milestone in the preparation of SPiDCOM's coming System-on-Chip implementing the HomePlug AV 2 specification - HomePlug AV 2 is the successor to HomePlug AV, now standardized by IEEE under the name IEEE 1901.

Outputs from the OMEGA project will be disseminated to the new IEEE P1905.1 Working Group, which is creating abstraction layer for Home Networking technologies including Ethernet, HomePlug AV/IEEE 1901, MoCA and WiFi.

About SPiDCOM Technologies:

SPiDCOM Technologies is a fabless semiconductor company.

It provides open System-on-Chips and Linux based software bundles for "no-limits" developments enabling complete OEM/ODM product differentiation (hardware, software, system).

Thanks to its unique mix of communication technologies, networking and system expertise, SPiDCOM Powerline Communication solutions can convert any wire into a broadband communications network. Applications include HomePlug AV Home Networking, EoC (Ethernet over Coax), Access BPL, Smart Grid and Smart Energy.

SPiDCOM actively participates to the standardization efforts inside the major international regulatory and standards bodies, among them IEEE P1901 and HomePlug Powerline Alliance.

SPiDCOM, much more than a silicon provider, your "no-limits" solution partner.

About OMEGA:

OMEGA is an Integrating Project co-funded by the European Commission under EU Framework Programme 7. It is running for 39 months from January 2008 to March 2011. OMEGA's goal has been to develop a user-friendly home network capable of delivering high-bandwidth services and content at a transmission speed of one gigabit per second. The interdisciplinary project consortium consists of 21 European partners from industry and academia. http://www.ict-omega.eu

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SOURCE SPiDCOM Technologies