HomePlug Alliance Applauds Approval of IEEE 1901.2 Standard

Netricity(tm) Program Will Certify Products to the New Standard

Portland, Ore. - November 26, 2013 - The HomePlug® Alliance (www.homeplug.org), the worldwide industry group for powerline communications networking, congratulates the industry on approval of the IEEE 1901.2 Standard for Low-Frequency Narrow-Band Powerline Communications. Certification of products to the new standard will benefit urban and long-distance communications through existing transformers in the electricity distribution network using frequencies below 500 kHz, while supporting data rates of up to 500 kbps. The technology also addresses requirements that facilitate communication privacy and secure networks, and enables IPv6 Smart Grid solutions with a new benchmark of performance and reliability.

As the certification and marketing program for the 1901.2 standard, the Netricity(tm) program will leverage HomePlug Alliance's long-established programs and members' expertise in testing and certifying powerline networking products. Additionally, HomePlug will promote the adoption of Netricity products to foster an ecosystem served by multiple technology vendors. Customers such as utilities and energy companies will benefit from having a broad interoperable product portfolio to choose from.

Finalization of this global standard is a major milestone for low-frequency narrow-band powerline networking, as it will bring unification for applications in long-range powerline networking for outside-the-home, smart meter-to-grid, and industrial controls.

"HomePlug is excited to apply our expertise to the new IEEE 1901.2 standard," said Rob Ranck, HomePlug Alliance President. "We are developing the Netricity compliance and interoperability program to certify our members' products to 1901.2, and look forward to expanding our powerline networking certification portfolio to include the low-frequency, long distance applications that 1901.2 serves."

Netricity product applications include:
-Utility grid modernization
-Distribution automation
-Meter-to-Grid connectivity
-Micro-grids
-Grid sensor communications
-Load control
-Demand response
-Net metering
-Street Lighting control
-Photovoltaic panel monitoring

About the HomePlug® Alliance
HomePlug® Alliance is a group of about 60 companies working together to develop technology specifications and certification & logo programs for powerline networking. With over 100 million devices in the market, HomePlug products are used worldwide by consumers and service providers to improve home networking performance while expanding coverage and Wi-Fi mobility.

Visit the HomePlug Alliance website at http://www.homeplug.org for more information regarding HomePlug Alliance and its family of technologies, and sign up for the HomePlug interest list at http://www.homeplug.org/about/inquiry to receive updates.

Sponsor members include Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: BRCM); Cisco (CSCO); Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK); MStar Semiconductor Inc.; Qualcomm Atheros, a wholly owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated; and STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM).