Wi-Fi and HomePlug Powerline groups join forces

The Wi-Fi Alliance and HomePlug Powerline Alliance have joined forces to promote the adoption of powerline and Wi-Fi networking technologies in smart-grid applications, which could mean more streamlined connectivity for consumers.

The Wi-Fi Alliance tests and certifies Wi-Fi products, including Wi-Fi Direct, to ensure their interoperability, and the HomePlug Powerline Alliance does the same thing for powerline devices.

The agreement, announced today, enables cooperative efforts for the joint technical review of Wi-Fi Alliance's and HomePlug's specifications and standards that facilitate interoperability of smart-grid applications. Both parties will also promote the adoption of wireless and powerline technologies.

The collaboration is a rather natural next step, as both groups have been participating members in the Smart Grid Interoperability Panel, a forum for the ongoing development for the smart grid. The Smart Energy 2 Applications Profile (SEP 2.0) was selected last year by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Institute of Standards and Technology as an initial interoperable standard for smart energy management with home area network devices.

The Wi-Fi Alliance and the HomePlug Powerline Alliance are now collaborating to enable SEP 2.0 applications to operate across a diverse mix of wireless and wired networks. The liaison between the two groups is effective immediately.