Power-line networking data rate to double, HomePlug says

HomePlug Powerline Alliance announced the availability of the HomePlug AV2 specification.

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Dong Ngo

Jan. 9, 2012 5:57 p.m. PT

LAS VEGAS--Your home's electrical wiring is about to get supercharged for data speed, should you choose to use it as cabling of a computer network.

The HomePlug Powerline Alliance (HPA) announced today the availability of the HomePlug AV2 specification. This is the upgrade to the current HomePlug AV, used in Powerline AV 500 products such as the D-Link DHP-501AV, the Netgear XAV5001, or the D-Link DHP-540, that offers up to 500Mbps throughput speed.

HPA says that this new HomePlug technology enables significant performance and coverage for broadband networking over power-line wires while remaining fully interoperable with existing HomePlug AV-based products currently in use.

HomePlug AV2 technology supports Gigabit-class broadband speeds, at least twice the current speed of the HomePlug AV, making it ideal for Internet video, multiroom IPTV, online gaming, HD audio and other high-demand networking uses, particularly when using multiple HD devices simultaneously.

With the AV2 specification being made available today, HomePlug AV Alliance hints that the first AV2-based Gigabit power-line adapter will be available by the end of 2012, early 2013.