HomePNA Ratifies Fast EoC Delivering 640 Mbps over Coax

Tom Keating : VoIP & Gadgets Blog
Tom Keating
CTO
| VoIP & Gadgets blog - Latest news in VoIP & gadgets, wireless, mobile phones, reviews, & opinions

HomePNA Ratifies Fast EoC Delivering 640 Mbps over Coax

HomePNA.gifHome wireless too slow for you? But too much trouble to "snake" Ethernet cables throughout your home for speedier performance? Well, today we have a new solution from HomePNA, which just ratified a new broadband access specification called "Fast EoC" where EoC stands for Ethernet over Coax. The new “Fast EoC” delivers up to 640Mbps performance using Ethernet over Coax. Although this can be used in residential applications, the main target goal for Fast EoC is MDUs (multi-dwelling units) such as apartment complexes, hotels, hospitals, etc. The advantage of coax over Ethernet is that most homes and MDUs already have coax connections in most rooms.

The HomePNA Alliance said that Fast EoC can deliver performance up to 320 Megabits per second (Mbps) in regular mode, and up to 640 Megabits per second (Mbps) and more than 300 Mbps user data throughput to Multi-Dwelling Unit (MDU) environments in a new “enhanced” mode.  HomePNA’s Fast EoC targets broadband access in MDU and Hospitality markets. The new HomePNA Broadband Access standard builds on HomePNA 3.1, an ITU standard and the world standard for triple play home networking over coax and phone lines.

“Fast EoC -- the new HomePNA Broadband Access standard changes the game by delivering reliable and affordable broadband over existing coax lines," said Michael Weissman, president of HomePNA.  “Now, MSOs can leverage their existing cabling infrastructure to provide digital services to living units for 10% of the capital needed to deploy alternatives such as DOCSIS."

Fast EoC enables the utilization of existing coax cables in apartment buildings and townhouses to deliver new digital services such as high-speed broadband Internet access, VoD, and full IPTV directly to the living units.

Some key benefits include:
  • Broadband access networks in multi-dwelling environments typically have lower signal quality and higher noise and attenuation than home networks – making it a more challenging environment.  The new standard increases transmission power and adds enhancements that make MDU operation robust and reliable.
  • Fast EoC’s enhanced mode uses bonded channels that provide up to 640 Mega bits per second (Mbps) data rate, which, combined with guaranteed QoS and true multicast capability, can enable the delivery of triple play services to MDU residents over the existing coax cables.
  • Fast EoC delivers the highest security and privacy by adding encryption capability and a unique MAC architecture to prevent endpoints from becoming aware of or communicating with each other.
  • Fast EoC enables control of up to 126 endpoints supporting the large number of living units in an MDU. The implementation enables the addition of these endpoints with almost no change in the total throughput, ensuring stable predictable performance.
  • Network management in MDUs is important and the endpoints must be managed effectively.   Fast EoC features capabilities that enable vendors to supply powerful network management tools.

According to HomePNA Alliance, "HomePNA offers high bandwidth, guaranteed QoS, remote management, and diagnostic capabilities that facilitate the installation and maintenance of the home entertainment network.  The technology provides flexible solutions capable of servicing MDUs, hotels, single-family homes, and large and small network operators enabling service providers to deploy reliable cutting-edge services, like triple-play, in a variety of environments, while minimizing operation expenditures."

I currently use another HomePNA standard using electrical outlets to deliver Ethernet over my home's electrical wiring. I have a Netflix-enabled LG Bluray player connected to one of the boxes. 640Mbps is probably overkill for me, especially since my ISP doesn't even offer that level of bandwidth. Though having that kind of speed "locally" as a virtual LAN might be nice since wireless isn't as fast. Copying files between my various home PCs would be quicker using Fast EoC than wireless. Though I suspect not by much, since hard drive throughput is often the limiting factor. So really Fast EoC's biggest play is for MDUs and service providers looking to deploy triple play and other high-revenue services.



Related Articles to 'HomePNA Ratifies Fast EoC Delivering 640 Mbps over Coax'
cox-logo.gif
bob-metcalfe.jpg
1934[1].jpg
Featured Events