Qualcomm Atheros, a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, recently added a low cost PL42 networking adapter reference design for powerline solutions. The PL42, according to Qualcomm Atheros, removes cost barriers while providing increased performance in premium-tier HomePlug AV2 products.
Used in situations that hinder or prevent the use of conventional wired or wireless networking, powerline networking lets consumers use the electrical wiring in their homes’ walls to expand their network’s range. Using the electric outlets on the wall, powerline can take advantage of the wired architecture inside today’s houses so that consumers can use and enjoy bandwidth-hungry products such as 4K televisions and gaming systems at faster than wireless speeds.
The PL42 is based on the HomePlug AV2 chipset (the QCA7500), and according to Qualcomm Atheros, can provide up to 3x greater performance than popular HomePlug AV solutions. It also utilizes multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) technology and supports a Max PHY rate of 1.5 Gbps. Carriers can also leverage the PL42’s enhanced TR-069 support to enable improved security and troubleshooting capabilities.
The PL42 Powerline Solution is currently shipping, and the development kits are available now.
