Broadcom Launches Next-Generation HomePlug Devices for Whole-Home Connectivity

TAIPEI, Taiwan, June 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Computex 2013 --

News Highlights:

• New family of HomePlug AV2 devices designed for residential gateways, set-top boxes, PLC-Wi-Fi Extenders and PLC adapters to deliver Gigabit-class speeds over existing powerlines in the home
• Up to 5x faster throughput and up to 2x coverage over currently available HomePlug AV¹ solutions
• Fully interoperable with more than 100 million field-deployed HomePlug AV and HomePlug Green PHY devices
• Enables telcos with a robust and cost-effective solution for multi-room HD DVR connectivity

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20060609/BROADCOMLOGO)

Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: BRCM), a global innovation leader in semiconductor solutions for wired and wireless communications, today announced the industry's first family of HomePlug AV2^® devices that can achieve physical layer rates of up to 1.5 Gigabits per second (Gbps) over a home's existing electrical wiring.  The new family of cost-effective carrier-class devices enables simultaneous multi-room HDTV distribution, low-latency real-time online 3D gaming and whole-home Internet coverage. Broadcom's complete line of Adaptive Home Network solutions now includes two new PLC systems-on-a-chip (SoCs) that integrate with Wi-Fi, set-top box, gateway and TV platforms for superior in-home Internet coverage and reliability. Visit www.broadcom.com to learn more.

"Broadcom's new HomePlug AV2 solutions deliver the next generation of powerline communications for more reliable and faster Internet speeds throughout the home, regardless of geography or building structure," said Greg Fischer, Broadcom's Vice President and General Manager for Broadband Carrier Access. "Our new devices enable global carriers and consumer electronics companies to offer superior voice, video and data services and products throughout the home."

"We selected Broadcom's HomePlug AV2 technology for our next generation of powerline adapter for its high level of performance and reliability," said Ping Chen, D-Link's Chief Technology Officer. "Broadcom's new offerings, together with our industry-leading innovations like free-to-use mydlink Cloud Services and Zero Configuration capability, enable us to provide our customers advanced and convenient networking solutions to support Internet video, online gaming, HD audio and other high throughput-demanding applications throughout the home."

HomePlug AV2 adopts several technical advances over the previous standard, to achieve a physical layer rate of 1.5Gbps  versus 200Mbps with HomePlug AV, and to offer significantly stronger performance coverage throughout the home.  HomePlug AV2 specifies an extended frequency band of up to 86 MHz, where it was previously limited to 30 MHz in HomePlug AV. HomePlug AV2 also introduces Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) – a technology that is already deployed by users of Broadcom's 802.11n and 802.11ac 5G Wi-Fi solutions. Similar to using multiple Wi-Fi antennas, HomePlug AV2 MIMO uses the three wires in a typical electrical outlet to simultaneously send more data on the different paths.

These advances make powerline communications a powerful and easy-to-implement home networking option, using a home's existing electrical outlets.  In addition, Broadcom's HomePlug AV2 devices are fully interoperable with previous generations of HomePlug AV devices as well as HomePlug Green PHY devices used in Smart Energy applications. Interoperability with the most widely deployed powerline communications standards ensures both global telcos and home consumers can easily implement and enjoy HomePlug AV2 certified products.

Key Features of the BCM60500 and BCM60333

• Fully interoperable with all HomePlug AV2 profiles, which include 750 Mbps SISO and 1.5 Gbps MIMO physical layer rates
• Supports the forthcoming nVoy certification from the HomePlug Alliance for the IEEE 1905.1 standard to provide intelligent, multi-mode home networking
  • Facilitates PLC-Wi-Fi hybrid networks used for improving link quality and coverage between the broadband gateway and STB
  • Also supports push-button simple connect and authentication procedures for PLC-Wi-Fi extenders
• Native support for TR-069 remote management
• Minimizes overall design costs with an integrated Gigabit Ethernet PHY, an additional RGMII/MII interface for connecting to broadband gateway and STB SoCs, a PCIe interface for connecting to Wi-Fi chipsets, and integrated linear and switching voltage regulators to reduce external components
• Meets all regulatory power requirements including EuP Lot 6 and the CENELEC 50561-1 standard

About HomePlug AV2
HomePlug AV2 brings new features to HomePlug AV that provides significant increases in throughput and coverage performance. New physical layer features include MIMO, a wider frequency band, and more efficient notching for radio signals.  HomePlug AV2 MIMO takes advantage of the third wire, or Ground, in a home electrical outlet by using it with either a Line or Neutral wire to support sending a second independent signal to increase capacity.  Having two transmitters and receivers in HomePlug AV2 effectively doubles the performance gain of single pair (SISO) PLC.  Beamforming is also utilized to achieve even greater MIMO performance on poor channels. In conditions where Ground is not available, the device defaults to SISO mode.  HomePlug AV2 also extends the frequency band from 1.8 to 30 MHz used in HomePlug AV to 1.8 to 86 MHz and introduces new MAC layer features including power save modes that greatly improve its efficiency. By implementing a number of new technologies, HomePlug AV2 delivers a physical layer rate of 1.5 Gbps using MIMO and 750 Mbps using SISO. 

About nVoy Technology²
nVoy networking enables hybrid networks using any combination of Wi-Fi, HomePlug, MoCA and/or Ethernet networking technologies. Features of nVoy networking include advanced diagnostics supported locally or remotely with TR-069, topology discovery, simplified security setup, automatic configuration of Wi-Fi access points and link metrics. Consumers will benefit from the consistent authentication procedures defined by nVoy networking to enable very simple self-installation of hybrid home networks for wired and wireless devices. nVoy networking provides these features for new devices while maintaining backward interoperability with widely deployed HomePlug, Wi-Fi, MoCA and Ethernet devices already in consumers' homes.

Availability
The Broadcom BCM60500 and BCM60333 SoCs are currently sampling.

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Resources

1 HomePlug AV delivers 200Mbps physical layer rate; HomePlug AV2 delivers 1.5Gbps physical layer rate.
2 nVoy Technology is a trademark of the HomePlug Alliance.

About Broadcom
Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: BRCM), a FORTUNE 500^® company, is a global leader and innovator in semiconductor solutions for wired and wireless communications. Broadcom^® products seamlessly deliver voice, video, data and multimedia connectivity in the home, office and mobile environments. With the industry's broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art system-on-a-chip and embedded software solutions, Broadcom is changing the world by Connecting everything^®. For more information, go to www.broadcom.com.

Broadcom®, the pulse logo, Connecting everything® and the Connecting everything logo are among the trademarks of Broadcom Corporation and/or its affiliates in the United States, certain other countries and/or the EU.  Any other trademarks or trade names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

Contacts

SOURCE Broadcom Corporation; BRCM Broadband