NEUCHÂTEL, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ACN Advanced Communications Networks SA (ACN) today unveiled its plans to develop Broadband Over Power-Line (BPL) Access Chipsets as well as BPL Access Products complying to the new IEEE1901 BPL PHY and MAC standard recently approved by the IEEE-SA Standards Board.

The Company is a Promoter and Member of the HD-PLC Alliance. ACN’s bandpass Wavelet OFDM technology was ratified in the new IEEE 1901 Standard as part of the BPL Access Specification.

In explaining the move, Dr. Stephan Horvath, CEO of ACN Advanced Communications Networks SA observes: “BPL chips optimized for the Access and Smart Grid communications are currently not available on the market and will be developed by ACN as a first mover responding to market needs. We are excited to develop a first Wavelet OFDM based Access BPL chipset complying with the IEEE 1901 Standard.” He adds: “Our Company has pioneered power line communication and we have many years of field experience with BPL Access communications in different countries. This allows us to provide our customers with the most advanced Access Products complying with the new IEEE1901 BPL PHY and MAC standard.”

The Company’s Wavelet OFDM based Access Chipset are expected to be available by the middle of next year and its Access BPL Products for Smart Grid communication by Q3 2011.

“It is worthwhile noticing that ACN’s bandpass Wavelet OFDM technology is the result of the Company’s extensive field experience.” said Michimasa Aramaki, President and Chair of HD-PLC Alliance. “By participating in HD-PLC Certification Program, ACN will help to accelerate the deployment of the Wavelet OFDM technology.”

“Now that the IEEE 1901 Standard is ratified, it is important that companies like ACN respond to the market needs quickly with compliant products.” said Jean-Philippe Faure, Chair of the IEEE 1901 working group.

The worldwide Smart Grid market is set for huge growth. The cumulative spending in Smart Grid technology worldwide by 2015 is estimated to be worth of $200 billion.

Without advanced two-ways communication the Smart Grid will not mature. In other words: BPL Access communications are required to make the Grid intelligent. ACN is pursuing a credible strategy to becoming a leader in Smart Grid communications.

Home Page Information

ACN Advanced Communications Networks SA http://www.acn-group.com/

HD-PLC Alliance http://www.hd-plc.org/.

IEEE Standards Association http://standards.ieee.org.

About ACN, Advanced Communications Networks SA

ACN is a privately held company incorporated in 1993. The Company’s mission is to develop leading-edge networking technologies for wireline and wireless communications, and to enable the fast deployment of these technologies by providing networking expertise for migration to new converged networks. ACN has actively contributed to IEEE1901 Working Group with Discrete Multitone Modulation and Bandpass Wavelet OFDM Modulation technologies. Additional information can be found at http://www.acn-group.com/.