As I've said many times before, Japan likes to establish industry-wide standards for seemingly every technology-related aspect of a person's life. Here's a case in point: Sony, Matsushita Electric, and Mitsubishi have announced they're creating "Powerline Communication Alliance."

The goal of the alliance? Establishment of interoperability standards for delivery of high-resolution video contents, IP phone, and so forth through the power lines already existing in households. Say that three times fast.

I don't think "bleeding edge" applies in this situation; we'll just say it's off the edge entirely.

Sony Corporation, Matsuhita Electric Industrial Corporation, and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation announced o­n the 6th that the three companies have reached an agreement to create an alliance to establish interoperability standards for power line communications (PLC), which allows for delivery of high resolution video contents, IP phone services, and so forth through the power lines already existing inside of a home. The name of the alliance is the "CEPCA." (CE-Powerline Communication Alliance)

PLC (Power Line Communication) is a technology allowing for common use of power lines used by a conventional household, for now o­nly power, but digital data. Because existing power lines can be used, the implementation cost is low, houses have many connection points (an electric outlet), connection is simple, and security is more reliabl than that of wireless networks. These advantages have led power companies and communications companies to continue independent development of PLC as a next generation home networking technology.

The three companies are attempting to avoid any situations that may arise because of this, and have explained the intentions of the alliance's establish by saying, "in recent years where the construction of home networks has increased, the needs to sharing information between devices are increasing, including interoperability between information appliances and terminals within a household, or controlling them from within or outside the home. However, for home networks based o­n PLC, common specifications between makers offering supported devices need to be established."

From now, the alliance will, along with promoting growth through standardizing specifications enabling coexistance of varying PLCs, call for membership from European and American makers. The alliance has said "we will complete an environment in which people throughout the world can take piece of mind in using a home network based o­n PLC."



Inspired by:
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20050106/plc.htm

News Release (Sony):
http://www.sony.co.jp/SonyInfo/News/Press/200501/05-0106/index.html