ARLA/CLUSTER: Apelo a standards na industria dos PLT/PLC.

[João Gonçalves Costa]

Call for powerline standards to avoid aircraft interference

The powerline networking industry needs to agree standards or risk causing interference with automated airplane landing systems and other key radio technologies, according to a manufacturer.

Powerline technology (PLT), which uses home wiring to transmit data, has long angered amateur radio enthusiasts because it causes interference to the radio spectrum. 

Now, with sales of products using higher frequencies expected to increase, there are real concerns that the technology could have more damaging effects.

Comtrend – the biggest-selling PLT vendor in the UK because of its tie-in with BT – said the industry needed to be more responsible and work on mitigating interference caused by electromagnetic emissions.

“Our technology operates below 33MHz, but there are companies producing technology that uses frequencies all the way up to 300MHz – we’re not doing that,” said Jonathan Lishawa, managing director for Comtrend UK.

“Once you get past 80MHz you’re in the same range as automated landing systems and once you get to 150MHz you have DAB radio.”

The PLT industry has already started using frequencies in these ranges and Lishawa called for a more “responsible” approach from companies working in the arena.

“The industry needs to sit down with stakeholders like the Civil Aviation Authority and GCHQ, and come up with proper standards in a responsible fashion,” he said. “That means manufacturers, retailers and chipset manufacturers – it’s the main requirement for PLT."

Read more: 
Call for powerline standards to avoid aircraft interference
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/367621/call-for-powerline-standards-to-avoid-aircraft-interference#ixzz1NO96fKfD