The HomePlug/MoCA crowd lists these reasons for not including G.hn in P1905 at this point:
- P1905 is meant for standards that are finished. G.hn is not a finished standard. G.hn does not have any products or an installed base. No field tests have been completed.
- A G.hn interoperability test has not been conducted, although one is scheduled for G.hn chips for next week.
There are no scheduled G.hn interoperability tests for products, commonly called a “plugfest.”
- There is no written certification standard, which some say should be done before the interoperability tests.
A standard is not finished until there is a written certification process; interoperability tests and field tests have been conducted because in many cases they show that further technology development — tweaking the standard — is needed before it’s ready for prime time.
The feeling among the MoCA/HomePlug crowd is that the G.hn crowd should concentrate on finishing the standard, produce certified chips and make interoperable products, then come back and talk to the P1905 group.
The G.hn gang responds that the effort to exclude G.hn from P1905 is an anti-competitive move.
As we see it, there are three possible outcomes:
1. G.hn is included in the initial P1905, the best-case scenario for G.hn. It gives a “seal of approval” they can put on their products like manufacturers do for Wi-Fi and DLNA-compatible products. It also gives them a standardized method for closely integrating Wi-Fi, which they and everyone else will need.
2. G.hn is not included in P1905. It’s a worst-case scenario for G.hn because of the perceived compatibility that MoCA and HomePlug will gain. More importantly, it adds a standardized Wi-Fi integration to MoCA and HomePlug chips/chipsets. And Wi-Fi, as we have predicted for years, is going to be in every STB and smart TV that’s made.
3. The whole P1905 thing falls apart. It’s not a bad result for G.hn but is a blow to consumers and product makers.
In any event, a valid vote to exclude G.hn from the initial P1905 may already have taken place. If not it will happen soon.
The other option is that the MIMO technology that Wi-Fi chipmakers are developing may doom the wireline network market. Motorola has said it’s is going to produce an STB for pay-TV companies and consumers that uses Quantenna’s 4xMIMO Wi-Fi chips and the FCC has approved a Cisco STB that has Wi-Fi that AT&T is expected to deploy.
Stay tuned!
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