SPiDCOM Successfully Demonstrates Omega's 1Gbps PLC Technology

SPiDCOM Technologies, Leader of the PLC (Powerline Communication) Work Package of the OMEGA European Research Project, is Paving the way for its Future Gigabit Class SoC

PARIS, March 7, 2011 - Starting in January 2008, OMEGA is a European research project
whose aim is to develop the next generation of home networking. Its
innovation dwells in the creation of a multiple-technology gigabit network
based on powerline communication, radio and visible light communication, the
complete system being commanded by a common media access control layer. Known
as the Inter-MAC, this technology independent layer provides services as well
as connectivity to any number of devices in any room of the home;
furthermore, it allows the service to follow the user from device to device.

Inside the OMEGA project, SPiDCOM is the leader of the PLC
work package, whose member list is available on the OMEGA website
www.ict-omega.eu. Choosing HomePlug AV standard as a reference, the
group has pushed PLC technology to new limits enabling PHY throughputs up to
1 Gbps, while being fully compatible with the wide installed base of HomePlug
AV products. This compatibility is a key requirement with respect to the PLC
market situation: HomePlug and HomePlug AV devices currently account for more
than 80 percent of the world's broadband powerline communication market, with
over 65 million devices sold to date and shipments forecasted to reach 100
million by year's end.

On February 23-24 2011, during the 3rd OMEGA Open Event,
SPiDCOM exhibited the two FPGA based platforms implementing the results of
the 3-year research effort. This demonstrator is a milestone in the
preparation of SPiDCOM's coming System-on-Chip implementing the HomePlug AV 2
specification - HomePlug AV 2 is the successor to HomePlug AV, now
standardized by IEEE under the name IEEE 1901.

Outputs from the OMEGA project will be disseminated to the new
IEEE P1905.1 Working Group, which is creating abstraction layer for Home
Networking technologies including Ethernet, HomePlug AV/IEEE 1901, MoCA and
WiFi.

About SPiDCOM Technologies:

SPiDCOM Technologies is a fabless semiconductor company.

It provides open System-on-Chips and Linux based software bundles for
"no-limits" developments enabling complete OEM/ODM product differentiation
(hardware, software, system).

Thanks to its unique mix of communication technologies, networking and
system expertise, SPiDCOM Powerline Communication solutions can convert any
wire into a broadband communications network. Applications include HomePlug
AV Home Networking, EoC (Ethernet over Coax), Access BPL, Smart Grid and
Smart Energy.

SPiDCOM actively participates to the standardization efforts inside the
major international regulatory and standards bodies, among them IEEE P1901
and HomePlug Powerline Alliance.

SPiDCOM, much more than a silicon provider, your "no-limits"
solution partner.

About OMEGA:

OMEGA is an Integrating Project co-funded by the European Commission
under EU Framework Programme 7. It is running for 39 months from January 2008
to March 2011. OMEGA's goal has been to develop a user-friendly home network
capable of delivering high-bandwidth services and content at a transmission
speed of one gigabit per second. The interdisciplinary project consortium
consists of 21 European partners from industry and academia.
www.ict-omega.eu

    Media Contact :

    Xavier MONGABOURE
    Tel : +33-1-41-87-91-90
    media@spidcom.com

www.spidcom.com/

Xavier MONGABOURE, Tel : +33-1-41-87-91-90, media at spidcom.com