At Broadband World Forum in London this week, HomeGrid Forum is hosting the first live demonstration of a new powerline test plan- TR-208
Finding the right test plan that compares ‘like for like’ set-ups with different products is hard to come by. Over the last few months we have seen many test plans being used to compare home networking technologies and the results vary considerably, depending very much on the choice of set-up.
This is why we are so excited to showcase the first live demonstration of Broadband Forum’s new technical report TR-208 – a recognized test plan based on all powerline standards, at Broadband World Forum this week. Having a recognized test plan based on all these standards with the backing of the Broadband Forum gives our test results the credibility they need for operators and consumers alike. TR-208 takes all the uncertainty and variability out of the set-up and gives truly comparable lab-verified results.
Building on our already robust and stringent certification program, this new lab-based test plan will enable HomeGrid Forum and our accredited test houses to determine the performance of G.hn products and award certification, giving peace of mind to both service providers and retail customers.
At Broadband World Forum we are underlining the power of powerline testing by also demonstrating another key aspect required by TR-208, Universal Powerline Communication (UPLC) splitters. Broadband Powerline Communication systems (PLC) are an important element as they are available almost everywhere and provide a fast, flexible and reliable communication link between devices present in the home.
The introduction of TR-208 provides the industry, operators and test labs with a well-defined test bed and an established set of tests that enable a performance comparison between PLC products and technologies, which can be independently verified with repeatable results.
We have actively supported the approach for universally accepted testing procedures in order to establish new technologies and ensure their ability to work with the many other communications protocols in the network. With the announcement of this new test plan, we are excited to see what the visitors at the show make of our live demonstration!
For more background on the importance and challenges of testing and comparing technologies, see our blogs: “Apples & pears – or the perils of achieving meaningful test results” and “What service providers must know about testing home networking technologies.”
For more information about what HomeGrid Forum is showing at Broadband World Forum see our news release.