Workpackage 3 - Powerline Communications

In the context of Omega, PLC technology is viewed as a backbone to distribute to every room 1 Gbps adhering to the concept of  “no new wires”. Existing PLC standards provide a maximum throughput of 200 Mbps. To achive 1 Gbps the commonly used bandwidth of 30 MHz will be enlarged to 100 MHz using multicarrier techniques, with the objective to be back-compatible to the Homeplug AV standard. Moreover, the main steps envisaged to demonstrate feasibility of such a high-rate schemes are:

PLC channel characterization

• Develop a complete and representative channel model including channel impulse responses and all PLC noises

• Fulfill Electromagnetic Compatibility specifications

 Physical layer

• Develop, compare and specify advanced techniques that allow high-rate PLC communications: new modulation schemes based on multicarrier, channel estimation, equalization, noise mitigation, new FEC schemes.

MAC layer

• Adapt HPAC MAC to Omega requirements

• Multi-user resource allocations

Omega-PLC prototype

• Deliver a high-rate Omega PLC demonstrator and integrate it into the Omega demonstrator