The
project will develop a standard for high speed (>100 Mbps at
the physical layer) communication devices via alternating current
electric power lines, so called Broadband over Power Line (BPL)
devices. The standard will use transmission frequencies below
100 MHz. This standard will be usable by all classes of BPL devices,
including BPL devices used for the first-mile/last-mile connection
(<1500 m to the premise) to broadband services as well as BPL
devices used in buildings for LANs and other data distribution
(<100m between devices). This standard will focus on the balanced
and efficient use of the power line communications channel by
all classes of BPL devices, defining detailed mechanisms for coexistence
and interoperability between different BPL devices, and ensuring
that desired bandwidth and quality of service may be delivered.
The standard will address the necessary security questions to
ensure the privacy of communications between users and allow the
use of BPL for security sensitive services. This standard is limited
to the physical layer and the medium access sub-layer of the data
link layer, as defined by the International Organization for Standardization
(ISO) Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Basic Reference Model.
The effort will begin with an architecture investigation, and
this will form the basis for detailed scope of task groups that
will work within P1901 to develop the components of the final
standard.
P1901 Purpose
New
modulation techniques offer the possibility to use the power lines
for high speed communications. This new high speed media is open,
and locally shared by several BPL devices. Without an independent,
openly defined standard, BPL devices serving different applications
will conflict with one another and provide unacceptable service
to all parties. The standard will provide a minimum implementation
subset that allows the fair coexistence of the BPL devices. The
full implementation will provide the interoperability among the
BPL devices, as well as interoperability with other networking
protocols, such as bridging for seamless interconnection via 802.1.
It is also the intent of this effort to progress quickly towards
a robust standard so powerline applications may begin to impact
the marketplace. The standard will also comply with EMC limits
set by national regulators, so as to ensure successful coexsitence
with wireless and telecommunications systems.
