Broadcom Corporation, a company specializing in semiconductor solutions launched its family of HomePlug (News - Alert) AV2 devices, BCM60500 and BCM60333. The new devices enable global carriers and consumer electronics companies to offer superior voice, video and data services and products throughout the home.

The new HomePlug AV2 devices adopts several technical advances over the previous standard in order to achieve a physical layer rate of 1.5Gbps versus 200Mbps with HomePlug AV, and to offer significantly stronger performance coverage throughout the home. 

The device specifies an extended frequency band of up to 86 MHz, where it was previously limited to 30 MHz in HomePlug AV. HomePlug AV2 also comes with Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO), a technology that is already deployed by users of Broadcom's (News - Alert) 802.11n and 802.11ac 5G Wi-Fi solutions. Similar to multiple Wi-Fi antennas, HomePlug AV2 MIMO uses the three wires in a typical electrical outlet to simultaneously send more data on the different paths.

"Broadcom's new HomePlug AV2 solutions deliver the next generation of powerline communications for more reliable and faster Internet speeds throughout the home, regardless of geography or building structure," Greg Fischer, vice president and general manager for Broadband Carrier Access (News - Alert), Broadcom said in a statement.

In addition, the new AV2 devices are fully interoperable with previous generations of HomePlug AV devices, as well as HomePlug Green PHY devices used in Smart Energy applications.

Key Features of the BCM60500 and BCM60333 include; fully interoperable with all HomePlug AV2 profiles, which include 750 Mbps SISO and 1.5 Gbps MIMO physical layer rates. It also supports the forthcoming nVoy certification from the HomePlug Alliance for the IEEE (News - Alert) 1905.1 standard to provide intelligent, multi-mode home networking; and facilitates PLC-Wi-Fi hybrid networks used for improving link quality and coverage between the broadband gateway and STB.

Also, the devices supports push-button simple connect and authentication procedures for PLC-Wi-Fi extenders and allows TR-069 remote management.