ZyXEL Launches SISO and MIMO HPAV2-based Gigabit Powerline Adapters

Last year, we saw the introduction of HomePlug AV2 (HPAV2) silicon from both Broadcom and Qualcomm Atheros. In conformance with the usual product development cycle, we saw the announcement of various HPAV2 products at CES in January. TP-LINK and TRENDnet were the players that seemed to be taking the lead in getting them to the market. Even though their products were supposed to ship in Q2 / Q3, we are yet to see them outside tradeshows.

ZyXEL is springing a surprise by launching two powerline adapters based on the HPAV2 standard with confirmed ship dates

• PLA5206
  • Broadcom BCM60333 HPAV2 SISO Chipset
  • PLA5206KIT contains a pair of adapters, MSRP of $160
  • Available Sept. 1
  • Delivers speeds of up to 1Gbps
  • Utilizes HomePlug AV2 standard to transmit multiple HD video streams simultaneously
  • 128-bit encryption
  • Green power saving options
• PLA5405
  • Qualcomm Atheros QCA7500 HPAV2 MIMO Chipset
  • Pricing TBD
  • Available Oct. 1
  • Delivers speeds of up to 1.2Gbps
  • Line-Natural / Line-Ground MIMO smart-antenna technology allows data to be sent simultaneously over different wires, delivering faster throughput / extended coverage
  • Utilizes HomePlug AV2 standard to transmit multiple HD video streams simultaneously
  • 128-bit encryption
  • Green power saving options

Things have been relatively quiet on the powerline networking front from a home consumer perspective (with Wi-Fi advancements being the primary networking market driver right now). That said, these solutions will be a welcome addition in buildings where Wi-Fi remains ineffective due to reach issues. Powerline technology remains attractive for service providers and consumers in the EMEA / APAC markets.