Strong support for broadband-over-powerline technology from Intel and Motorola last month sparked speculation about how much momentum these kingmaking companies could create in the nascent sector. Both firms made equity investments in BPL chipmaker Intellon, both joined the HomePlug Powerline Alliance standards group, and Intel's manager of powerline initiatives, Matt Theall, became HPPA's new president. In particular, industry observers wondered if Intel could elevate BPL as it did WiMAX.

In fact, Intel is far from evangelizing BPL as an alternative to DSL or cable broadband. Other than calling it an “interesting technology” whose potential impact is “too early to be determined,” Theall declined to say much about it. Instead, Intel's current involvement in HPPA is more focused on its in-home wiring technology, which uses homes' existing electrical wiring to carry broadband content throughout the home. That technology applies to all forms of broadband access, not just BPL.

“I can't imagine [Intel] would get as involved with [BPL] as they did with WiMAX,” said Yankee Group analyst Nicole Klein. “I don't think BPL can change the broadband landscape that much.”

Though BPL's been around for a while, what prompted Intel and other big firms to act now was the ratification last month of HPPA's “AV” standard for in-home wiring (its BPL spec won't be a ratified until mid-2006). The AV standard is important because it replaces HPPA's previous 14 Mb/s standard (yielding 5 Mb/s throughputs) with a 200 Mb/s one (yielding throughputs between 70 Mb/s to 140 Mb/s), the better to serve hot emerging apps like video.

“Suddenly you can run two or three HDTV signals simultaneously,” said Pete Griffin, HPPA chairman. “Now it becomes very attractive.”

Intel could help promote the AV standard, said Theall, who expects AV-based silicon to start shipping this year.

In backing HPPA, Intel is betting on a different horse than Verizon Communications, which recently joined the Multimedia Over Coax Alliance, a group focused on using in-house coaxial cable to deliver broadband content (Telephony, Aug. 15, page 10). Griffin says the two standards complement each other, while politely pointing out that power outlets greatly outnumber coax lines in most homes. And while MOCA President Ladd Wardani welcomed Intel's involvement in HPPA as a boost to the home-networking sector, he maintained that MOCA technology, now in field trials, was more mature and reliable than BPL.

“At the end of the day, it's MOCA that's going to be deployed,” Wardani said.

BPL'S HOT SUMMER

July - August

• Google, Goldman Sachs invest in BPL provider Current Communications.
• IBM, CenterPoint Energy plan BPL network.
• HomePlug AV standard ratified.
• Intel, Linksys (Cisco), Motorola join HPPA.
• Intel, Motorola join Intellon's $24.5M B round.

Source: Company info