HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM UPLC!

UPLC would like to wish everyone a happy & safe holiday!

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STANDARDS: IEEE MAKES HEADWAY ON STANDARDS FOR INTEROPERABILITY BETWEEN IN-HOME AND ACCESS BPL SYSTEMS

There was progress on standards for interoperability and coexistence between in-home and access BPL systems during the IEEE P1901 meeting in San Diego last Tuesday and during a meeting over the next two days hosted by the HomePlug Powerline Alliance which included representatives from the Access BPL industry. The key issues for discussion during the meetings were 1) whether the proposed standard should accommodate frequency division by in-home as well as access devices, 2) whether it should include scalable OFDM and 3) how to provide commonality between the PHY for in-home and access BPL.


On the first issue, an important compromise was reached whereby it was agreed to incorporate frequency division within the time domain for in-home devices. This will ensure low latency for utility applications as well as high efficiency repeating that is generally necessary for access BPL systems. By the same token, this would avoid in-home BPL devices having to incorporate analog filters, which could drive up equipment costs and delay production. Instead of filters, there will be mandatory time division slotting and the possibility of incorporating frequency division in any TDM slot. Within a given TDM slot there can be FDM sharing between in-home and access BPL systems if an algorithm for sharing determines that simultaneous FD based communications is possible without mutual interference between in-home and access. That algorithm for sharing will be mandatory and will be incorporated as part of the InterPHY protocol (IPP) and/or a common MAC. The details of how this sharing will occur still needs to be settled and will be addressed by a group working on sharing policies. Those sharing policies will be
incorporated within the standard that is developed by the P1901 group.


The remaining two issues are still under discussion. With regard to scalable OFDM, more data is needed to justify the need to require it as part of the standard. With regard to the issue of commonality between in-home and access PHYs, there was agreement that for a given PHY, in-home devices must be interoperable with access; the next step is determine which features will
be mandatory and which will be optional (i.e. defining interoperability without necessarily requiring the same PHY for in-home and access). These issues as well as the frequency division issue will be taken up again in further discussions between now and the next meeting of the IEEE P1901 group, which is scheduled for March 7-8, 2008 in Fukuoka, Japan.

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CONGRESS: HOUSE/SENATE PASS ENERGY BILL WITH
SMART GRID PROVISIONS

This month, the House and Senate both passed versions of comprehensive energy legislation (HR6) that includes provisions to promote smart grid deployment, which could in turn drive BPL deployment. The Title XIII Smart Grid provisions of the bill would require the Department of Energy (DOE) to report to Congress about the status of Smart Grid deployments nationwide, and on any regulatory or governmental barriers to continued deployment. The first report would be due within a year and additional reports would be due every two years thereafter. The bill also would create a Smart Grid Advisory Committee and a Smart Grid Task Force to advise DOE and other federal agencies about Smart Grid technical developments, the progress of a nationwide transition to Smart Grids and standards for interoperability - a much watered-down version of the controversial Grid Modernization Commission. The bill also authorizes $100 million each year through 2012 for Smart Grid R&D, including a series of demonstration projects around the country. There also would be a matching grant program, which will fund up to 20% of qualifying Smart Grid investments. The bill requires the states to require that utilities consider Smart Grid investments before making any investments in "non-advanced grid technologies." The states also must consider authorizing the electric utility to recover from ratepayers any capital or operational expense relating to a qualified Smart Grid system, and allowing utilities to recover the remaining book value of any equipment rendered obsolete by a Smart Grid investment. Finally, DOE is required to produce a report on the attributes of Smart Grid systems, due within 18 months. Now the bill will go to the President, who is expected to sign the bill into law.

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NTIA: KNEUER STEPS DOWN FROM NTIA

NTIA Assistant Secretary John M.R. Kneuer stepped down last month. Mr. Kneuer has been a supporter of BPL during his tenure. According to a spokesperson at NTIA, Mr. Kneuer is returning to private industry, reportedly to work on 700 MHz issues. Meredith A. Baker will serve as acting administrator of NTIA, until the White House nominates and Congress confirms a successor. Some have speculated that Ms. Baker will be nominated for the position. Previously she was deputy director at NTIA, and was employed by Williams Mullen Strategies, Covad Communications and CTIA, prior to joining NTIA in 2004. One of the key issues for the incoming NTIA administrator will be the DTV transition/converter box program which will go into effect in January 2008. Congressional representatives, including Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), already have indicated they will be conducting close oversight of the program.

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CONGRESS: REP. UPTON RESIGNS FROM
HOUSE TELECOM LEADERSHIP

This month Rep. Fred Upton (R., Mich.) stepped down as ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Telecommunications and the Internet subcommittee. He quit the subcommittee to assume the chair of the Energy and Air Quality subcommittee, part of a chain of new appointments that will mean new leadership for several subcommittees. The new ranking member of the telecom subcommittee will be Rep. Cliff Stearns (R., Fla.).

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INDUSTRY: INTELLON LAUNCHES IPO

Intellon Corporation (Nasdaq:ITLN) announced last week that its initial public offering of 7,500,000 shares of common stock has been priced at $6.00 per share, before underwriting discounts and commissions. In addition, Intellon has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to 1,125,000 additional shares to cover over-allotments, if any. All of the shares are being offered by Intellon. The shares went on sale on Thursday, and are currently trading at $6.10/share.

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INDUSTRY: RIVER CITY/AMEREN DEPLOY BPL TO FIVE
MORE BUILDINGS IN ST. LOUIS

River City Internet Group and Ameren Energy Communications, a subsidiary of Ameren Energy, recently reported that they have completed BPL installations in five St. Louis buildings. Ameren is partnering with River City Internet Group to provide in-building BPL to commercial and multi dwelling units in Ameren’s Missouri and Illinois service areas. This most recent series of deployments follows two previous in-building BPL deployments that were completed over the last year by the partnership. The BPL service reportedly delivers 6 mbps of bandwidth to support such services as VoIP; Real time energy monitoring to improve energy efficiency and reliability; In-building security and surveillance; In-building communications through wired LCD panels in lobbies and elevators; Building system controls for centralized HVAC; Digital signage; Secured network connections suitable for government travel standards, and Wireless "hot spots."

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