Wi-SUN Alliance Event Advances Smart Utility Network Interoperability

SAN JOSE, Calif. and TOKYO, May 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Wi-SUN Alliance, a global organization leading the promotion, standards compliance, and interoperability testing of Smart Utility Network devices, today announced a major milestone in furthering multi-vendor, multi-layer interoperability for such devices. At the 3^rd Wi-SUN Interoperability Event, hosted by TUV Rheinland at its Smart Grid Test Lab in Pleasanton, California, Wi-SUN members demonstrated interoperability between their independent, standards-based products already in widespread use in utility networks today.

"Wi-SUN has made significant progress in the past few months developing a testing strategy to ensure interoperability of Smart Utility Network products," said Phil Beecher, Chairman of the Wi-SUN Alliance. "This 3^rd interoperability event follows a significant period of effort by the Alliance in the development of a NIST SGIP compliant testing process for a range of products including radio ICs, modules, and end products. Alliance members such as Cisco, Silver Spring Networks, NICT and others have actively collaborated in developing a Field Area Network Profile consolidating key Smart Grid standards into a well-defined and testable package. The success of this event marks a key next step in making a rigorous interoperability testing program available to utilities and vendors worldwide."

At the Interoperability Event, Wi-SUN member companies including Analog Devices, Cisco, EDIC Systems, Murata, NICT, Procubed and Silver Spring Networks all contributed products demonstrating implementations of the Wi-SUN Field Area Network (FAN) specification. The Alliance conducted extensive testing of these platforms, demonstrating interoperable products supporting 6LoWPAN over IEEE 802.15.4g. Highlighting the global nature of the Wi-SUN Alliance, members demonstrated interoperability in sub-GHz frequency bands appropriate for many different regions including North & South America, Asia, Australia/New Zealand and Europe. In addition to these demonstrations by product vendor members, test equipment vendor members – actively developing test equipment and tools specifically aligned to Wi-SUN FAN test plans – also provided demonstrations of progress in those areas.

"We are very pleased with the results of this first collective execution of the Wi-SUN FAN test plan," said Tom Herbst of Silver Spring Networks, Chairman of the Wi-SUN FAN Working Group. "A large number of global companies were able to successfully demonstrate interoperability using the current test plan, which is a testament to the diligence of our Alliance members in ensuring an open and participatory process that meets as broadly as possible the needs of the industry."

"The broad participation in, and success of, this interoperability event has been very gratifying," said Paul Duffy of Cisco, co-chairman of the Wi-SUN FAN Working Group. "We feel that validates not only the direction of the market but also Wi-SUN's objectives and approach to meeting the market's expectations."

"This Interop Event has redefined the achievements of our effort in promoting global interoperability for our products," said Chin Sean Sum of NICT, Chair of Wi-SUN Test and Certification Working Group. "It is our intention to maintain this momentum by systematically organizing more of such events in the future."

Wi-SUN will exhibit live demonstrations of multi-vendor FAN interoperability at the upcoming Wireless Japan 2013 exhibition next month in Tokyo, Japan.

Wi-SUN: Seamless Connectivity

The Wi-SUN Alliance is an association of companies working together to enable reliable, cost-effective, low-power, wireless Smart Utility products based on an open global standard IEEE 802.15.4g. The Wi-SUN Alliance membership comprises solution providers and original equipment manufacturers worldwide. Membership is open to all corporations. Additional information can be found at www.wi-sun.org

TUV

TUV Rheinland has been appointed by Wi-SUN Alliance to provide certification testing for Wi-SUN specified products. TUV Rheinland was founded 140 years ago and is a global leader in independent inspection and testing services. The TUV Group maintains a presence at around 500 locations in 61 countries with 16,000 employees and has an annual turnover of EUR 1.4 billion.

Wi-SUN is a registered trademark of the Wi-SUN Alliance. IEEE 802.15.4 is a trademark of the IEEE. Other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Contact: Bhupender Virk, MWG Chair: +81-80-1137-5574, [email protected]

SOURCE Wi-SUN Alliance