24/09-09   -   Press releases

UPA Global Plugtest Results Follow Inaugural thought leadership Conference on future directions

The Universal Powerline Association (UPA), a leading industry consortium involved in the promotion of powerline communications technology, and the formation and development of open and interoperable specifications, today announces that eight of the newest UPA-based Powerline Communication Products have been certified as "UPA plugtested". These latest UPA products to reach the market have been independently tested for performance and interoperability at the official UPA Plugtest and Certification event held this summer.

"40 UPA-based Powerline Communication Products have now qualified for the UPA´s Plugtest label. UPA rigorously tests performance, coverage, coexistence, and interoperability of UPA products worldwide. This offers utilities, operators, system integrators, retailers and others a guarantee for the success of their large scale deployments," said Daniel Drolet, Chairman of the UPA.

The newest products that qualified to display the "UPA Plugtested" label are destined for the retail and service provider market and include among other products:

* Comtrend Corporation´s Power Grid 902 Powerline Ethernet Adapter
* Corinex Corporation´s HD 200 Powerline Wall Mount Adapter
* D-link´s DHP 302 and DHP 303 Powerline HD Ethernet Adapter and Starter Kit
* Netgear´s HDX111 Powerline HD Wall Mount Ethernet Adapter and
* AcBel´s Ethernet Adapter with Filter as well as products from newcomers,
* Amper and Conceptronic.

A full list of UPA certified products is published on the UPA website to assist utilities, operators, system integrators, retailers and others in their vendor selection. This news follows on from the successful inaugural UPA Technology Conference "Plug into Profit 2009" held earlier this month in San Diego, California.

The UPA "Plug into Profit 2009" event was incorporated with Smart Energy West Coast. The conference produced thought-provoking insight from an array of industry leading professionals including; Ron Zimmer of CABA, Terry Mohn of Gridwise, Dr Henry Marcy of Whirlpool and Matt Theall of the Homegrid Forum. Topics considered the need for convergence and cooperation between different technologies to meet current and future energy and connectivity requirements in applications as diverse as residential command and control, home networking and entertainment, and Smart Grid applications. UPA member companies presented case studies on the use of powerline communications technology in home-networking and smart grid applications. The conference also featured an advance look at UPA´s future product direction and insight on the status of the UPA supported ITU-T G.Hn standards and their implications for future UPA powerline products.

In addition, two new initiatives supporting utilities and retailers were announced. The UPA Utility Commission supports global Utilities that are deploying or interested in deploying powerline technologies ensuring they have complete knowledge of technology solutions available in the market today. Along with the Utility Commission, the UPA announced the "Retail Education Advisory Panel" that works closely with global retailers in the education & support of their customer service & salespeople who work with end customers purchasing powerline products.

UPA Plug into Profit 2009 conference papers are available to download from the UPA´s website, www.upaplc.org

Donald Pollock
UPA Permanent Secretary
Phone: + 44 178 047 0003
donald.pollock@upaplc.org

About the Universal Powerline Association
The Universal Powerline Association (UPA) is an International not-for-profit trade association providing a forum for the design and development of interoperable and open specifications and focused on promoting the successful international application of Powerline technologies. The UPA provides all Powerline players the opportunity to respond to key customer expectations with open standards, based on interoperability, security and coexistence and supported by exclusive and independent certifications, the only global guarantee of quality and confidence for high-speed power line technology available today.

Members of the UPA include: AcBel Polytech Inc., Ambient Corporation, Buffalo Inc., Comtrend, Corinex Communications Corp., D-Link, DS2, Freedom Digital Networks, China Gridcom Company Ltd, PCN Technology, Power Monitors Inc., Toshiba Electronics Europe GmbH and Toyo Networks & System Integration Co. Ltd. Additional information about the UPA is available at www.upaplc.org