The Home Phoneline Networking Alliance (HomePNA--www.homepna.org) used Comdex as the venue in which to announce the market requirements for the HomePNA 3.0 specifications. According to the group, HomePNA 3.0 will be optimized for performance, enabling broadband entertainment, voice, multi-PC file and Internet sharing applications throughout the home without disrupting regular phone service. This third-generation HomePNA specification will deliver a throughput of 100 Mbits/sec.
The group also unveiled at Comdex its Voice-over-HomePNA protocol, which extends its 2.0 specification to include support for digital voice services.
"A key goal for HomePNA is to continue developing the specification by adding functionality to extend the range of services that can be delivered throughout the home," says John Marshall, president of HomePNA. "The combination of HomePNA's quality of service and a Voice-over-HomePNA protocol designed specifically for voice communications enables the technology to meet the need of latency-sensitive voice services."
Through a HomePNA residential gateway or comparable service termination point, VoHPNA takes advantage of digital broadband voice services such as voice-over-IP to deliver high-speed connectivity to other VoHPNA enabled end-points plugged into any phone jack within the home.
