“Driving Global Standards and the Ingredients for Ubiquity”

“Driving Global Standardsand the Ingredients for Ubiquity”

Matt TheallPresident, HomePlug Alliance

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Standards or Darwinism?

* “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection”, Charles Darwin, 1859

Life is a competitive struggle to survive, often in the face of limited resources. Living things must compete for food and space.*

Notes and Specifications from prehistoric SIG meetings

Collaboration assures the survival of the species, while leaving the room for competition among individuals.

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Proprietary Technologies Limit Growth

• Proprietary Technologies– Typically exhibit good performance in one dimension– Confirm the feasibility (or the lack of it)– Develop subject matter expertise

• How Do You Recognize a Proprietary Technology?– Single Source of Silicon– IP Controlled by One Company– Typically Demonstrate a Slow Rate of Innovation– Cost Reduction Velocity is Reduced

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Standards Ingredients:Based on Open Specifications

• RaND Terms– Reasonable and Non-Discriminatory Sharing of IP

• Open Specifications Foster Competition– Lower Price among the ecosystem players– Higher Performance through Innovation– Reduced TTM

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Standards Ingredients:Industry Collaboration

• Market Leaders Drive Total Market Size– Global Reach– Remove cultural barriers– Create a natural ecosystem harmony– Jump starts rate-of-adoption

• Multiple Sources of Supply– Drives cost through market efficiencies– Removes single-source risk– Engenders process innovation

• Innovative Small Companies– Promotes market agility– Focuses the market on technology and performance

improvements• Competition Based on Value Add of Solutions

– Assures multiple, healthy ecosystems develop– Provides for market segmentation and assures winners in all

HomePlug Alliance

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Standards Ingredients:Compliance Programs

• Compliance Checklist– Assures a robust technology is experienced

• Common Test Code– Homogenizes all applications

• Standardized Platforms– Develops a consistent consumer experience

• Test Specifications– Allows the SIG to exercise the technology in a more

robust fashion• A Variety of System Profiles

– Seeks to create differentiation at market app level• Industry Plugfests

– Insures interoperability among multiple vendors

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Standards Ingredients:Existing Product Compatibility

• Must Be Compatible with Standards-based Products Already in the Market

• Harmful Interference Cannot be Allowed• Coexistence Cannot Result in Performance

Degradation Across Multiple Technologies

No One Wants to Buy a Product ThatStops Their Old Product From Working!

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Standards Ingredients:Cross Industry Solution Enablement

• Core Technology Must Coexist or Interoperate in Multiple Market Segments– BPL, in-home networking, command and control

• Allows Broad Deployment of Technology• Allows Vast Ecosystem to Develop

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Standards Ingredients:Product Interoperability

• Allows Products to Communicate with one Another

• Allows Management of Bandwidth• Ensures Quality of Service (QoS)• Ensures Performance Across Technology

Tiers• Assures Product Innovation and Cost

Efficiencies

Enables aRobust Consumer Experience

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Applying the “Ingredients”to Powerline Communications (PLC)

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Powerline Already Widely Used

• Over 4.5 Million HomePlug Devices Shipped– ~8 Million expected by end of 2006

• Based on an Open & Global Standard

Other Powerline Standards MustCoexist or Interoperate

with These Legacy Devices

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Powerline Deployed For Multiple Purposes

• Broadband Over Powerline• In-home Networking (both data and content)• Command and Control

A Single Powerline Standard MustComprehend All These Market Segments

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Powerline is Being Deployed Globally

• Powerline Already Deployed on 6 Continents– Europe, Americas, Asia, Africa…

• In Different Types of Houses– Stone, Concrete, Wood, Steel…

• With Different Types of Electricity– 110V, 220V, 2-Phase, 3-Phase…

A Ubiquitous Powerline Standard MustAddress All of These Requirements

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Powerline Requires Compliance & Interoperability

• Compliance Program Required• Interoperability Program Required• Certification Program Required

A Ubiquitous Powerline Standard MustComprehend All These Requirements

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HomePlug

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Home Networking Using HomePlug

• HomePlug 1.0 - Shipping Since 2000• 14 Mbps PHY• Multiple silicon providers: Arkados, Conexant, Intellon, Maxim,

Spidcom. More soon• Millions of products now in the market worldwide. Millions More in ’06

• Next Gen HomePlug AV Spec Ratified in Aug ’05• 200 Mbps PHY• Based on best in class technology components• 1st silicon shipping, 1st products Q2’06

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HomePlug Meets All Market Requirements

Open StandardCompliance Program InteroperabilityCoexists with Millions of HomePlug Devices

Already in MarketCore Technology Used for Multiple Applications

BPL In-home NetworkingCommand and Control

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HomePlug Organization

ImplementerImplementer’’s Forum BODs Forum BOD

Broadband over Broadband over Powerline (BPL)Powerline (BPL)

PromoterPromoter’’s Groups Group

HomePlug AV HomePlug AV PromoterPromoter’’s Groups Group

Command & Control Command & Control PromoterPromoter’’s Groups Group

ImplementerImplementer’’s Forum BODs Forum BOD

Broadband over Broadband over Powerline (BPL)Powerline (BPL)

PromoterPromoter’’s Groups Group

HomePlug AV HomePlug AV PromoterPromoter’’s Groups Group

Command & Control Command & Control PromoterPromoter’’s Groups Group

HomePlug Industry Alliance - 65 Members and Growing Fast!

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Summary

• There are Many Ingredients Required for Ubiquity• Meeting Only One Requirement Isn’t Enough

• HomePlug is Open Standards Based and has Developed Best-of-Breed Technology Through a Global Multi-Vendor Contribution Process

• HomePlug is the Leading Powerline Technology• Interoperability & Coexistence Must Allow for a Robust

Consumer Experiences