The Powerline Field trials

1

• The Powerline Field trials
• on the international scene

The revolution at the power socket - PLC
Powerline Communications 20 September 2000
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e-powerThe new last mile access technology for
everybody
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Ascom Powerline Communications (PLC) USP

• e-power covers the communication needs of the
  society by offering the last mile access through
  to the mains sockets in the building.
• Limited investments e-power uses the existing
  infrastructure.
• EMC the electromagnetic environment is only
  slightly affected.
• The indoor communication system is readily
  available without having to pull cables or
  installing transmission equipment.
• With the Ascom PLC system, everything from a
  single source.

4
Our solution

• Making use of the low voltage grid for a cost
  effective, high quality broadband and narrow band
  data/voice transmission.
• Ascom Powerline Communications AG offers a
  comprehensive solution to the communication
  problems.

Customer oriented solution
Ascom PLC
Customers benefits
System Integrator
Contents
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With the Ascom PLC The neighbourhood is
connected
IP-Netw.
PSTN

• Data transmission
• Broadband data
• Narrow band data
• VoIP transmission -gt switched telephony
  -gt IP Telephony (Future?)

Backbone
Low voltage grid
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Wiring a house using the Ascom PLC
Various adapter models - Internet -gt USB or
Ethernet - analog
telephone -gt a/b- smart house -gt RS 232
Security/Alarm systems
Internet connection
Smart house
Telephony - Switched -
IP-telephony
Indoor Controller
Last mile access
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Ascom Powerline Communications AGs views about
the objectives of the field trials.

• To gain experience in a real environment
• To answer questions such as

• Can we fulfil the expectations of an access
  provider and/or service provider as well as those
  of users?
• Can we fulfil the expectations of the service
  providers customers by using Ascom PLC
  connections?
• How do the financial and economical aspects look
  with the introduction of the Ascom PLC?

8
Motivations of a PLC operator for having a field
trial with our system

• We are the first to offer the possibility of
  testing new business models with the Outdoor
  and Indoor PLC.
• To have the possibility to be the First to
  build up a new type of business in a deregulated
  power market.
• The PLC operator has the answer to questions such
  as

• How can we improve

• Customer satisfaction
• Customer retention

• Definition of a Business Development Strategy
  that is based on the first operational
  experiences ? to be the first to occupy a new
  field of business.
• etc.

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Overview of the Ascom field trial customers
France Telecom

EVN

NESA


TIWAG

Evicom

RWE
Viken

Diax


Lina
.
Net
ENEL

Singapore
Power

ENDESA

CEGECOM

EDP

EDF

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The size of a UTS module compared to the size of
a Demonstrator
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September 2000 - project status

• 15 field trials have been installed and are in
  service. Approximately 500 households, SOHOs,
  small enterprises and hotels each with 1-2
  adapters and some with an a/b interface box 1)
  are connected.
• We have, with RWE Powerline GmbH, the largest
  field trial. It consists mainly of

• Operation in parallel of Ascom PLC masters.
• Connection of a relatively large number of
  households per master on a low voltage grid as
  well as in one building.

• Other field trials- Experience gained in
  various low voltage grids.- Experience gained
  with underground and overhead cables.-
  Experience gained in various buildings /
  households.

1) see next slide
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Connection box for analog terminals
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Example of a connection to a building
7th Floor


Transformer
Students
Station

Riser 1
Floors 1 - 6
Riser 2

Floors 1 - 6
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First implementtions and analysis

• Last mile

• Differences in the transmission characteristics
  of underground cables and overhead cables.
• Analysis of the first feedback's from the
  collaboration with the national regulators.
• The different expectations of the customers of
  industrialised countries and developing countries
  regarding the planning of various applications.

• Indoor LAN

• The wide range of installations with single and
  three phases in buildings, and their influence on
  our PLC system.
• The experience in defining the best coupling
  points in a building.
• V-LANs and single adapter addressing.

• Start-up equipment using the outdoor system
  through to the mains socket

• Assessment of the concept limitations.

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Economical Solutions for PLC systems(Last mile
and indoor LAN)

• Based on the experience gained in running field
  trials we define the best solutions for- the
  coupling point of the Outdoor and Indoor
  Systems- the most economical backbone
  connection- a dynamic bandwidth management (data
  and voice)
• We want to develop with EPFL1) a model for the
  calculation of packet switched data and voice
  traffic.

1) Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne.
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Regulatory aspects

• FactsThere is at present no regulations for
  transmission on cables in frequencies above 148
  kHz available.

• First approaches

? PLC systems cannot comply with this.

• The UK O dBµV approach
• The German NB 30 approach

? to come into force on 30 July 2003 following a
decision by the Bundesrat of the German
parliament.

• CEPT ERC and the working groups in ETSI and
  CENELEC are working on a European recommendation
  for the usage of carrier frequencies above 148
  kHz for the national regulators (decision makers).

Ascom Powerline Communications will bring onto
the market a PLC system that does not disturb
radio operations and will co-exist with other
systems connected to the same network.
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Field trials road map
Preparation and installation
Duration
From September, for 6 to 12 months - field
trials in operation
- technical support by Ascom
- Ascom
Round Table discussions
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Next steps

• Short term

• Software upgrades for the field trials (larger
  bandwidth).
• Optimisation of the installation of the UTS
  modules.
• Definition of an economical solution for the
  backbone connection.
• Exchange of experience with our field-trial
  customers? Take up and implement additional
  customer expectations.? Optimise the product
  specifications.
• Undertake actions to obtain by Spring 2001 the
  operating licence.

• Medium term

• Definition of the second generation product that
  will be introduced in 2002/2003 and will be
  compatible with the first product generation.

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Future challenges and opportunities for Ascom
Powerline Communications AG
Generally

• Data compression offers an interesting potential
  to Powerline Communications. It can be considered
  that 3 Mbit/s on a shared medium will soon fulfil
  - without problems - the expectations of the
  customers regarding video transmission. See the
  next slide.
• Ascom Powerline Communications is an economical
  system designed for stepwise extension and usage
  of the current infrastructure.

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Broadband transmission techniques and applications
Bandwidth requirements
according to business
defined missions

gt
42
Mbit/s
- Broadband multimedia
- Real time Video in TV
quality



gt
10
Mbits
- Buffered Video on
Demand
First product generation of Ascom
- High-speed Internet
Powerline
Communications
- outdoor
lt
3
Mbit/s
- Video conferences
- indoor
lt
2
Mbit/
/s
gt
2 x 64
Kbit/s
- Internet, telephony, FAX
lt
10
Kbit/s


,

100
kbits
1
Mbits


10
Mbits
100
Mbits
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• Adapter, incl. for start up kit
  Design concepts

Variants - plug
trafo combined - trafo integrated in Adapter
Modem Type
ca. 150 mm
Compact Type
90 mm
ca 80 mm
ca. 20 mm
ca. 30 mm
230 V/120 V - USB and
Ethernet interface or
- USB and a/b
interface or
- USB interface or
- RS 232
ca. 30 mm
Buyers criteria ? attractive, not dominant
design ? small
design ? attractive
enduser price
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Ascom Powerline Communications Vision

• Ascom intends to further develop the Powerline
  Communications equipment to satisfy the
  expectations of the customer regarding the home
  networking and the new services. Particular
  attention will be paid to speed improvement and
  development of new interfaces.
• We are convinced that the e-society offers
  great potential for our Powerline Communications
  system.
• Smart house, e-commerce, etc. will have, in the
  next years, a great importance for many families.
  The integration of all these sectors will
  contribute in better enjoying our free time.