AT&T favors HomePNA over MoCA

AT&T has selected HomePNA 3 as the preferred in-home distribution technology for its fiber-to-the-node triple play offering.

Approved by the International Telecommunications Union in May 2005, the HomePNA 3.0 standard, G.9954, allows for up to 240 Mb/s of broadband to be distributed over the existing coaxial cables and phone lines within homes.

HomePNA 3.0 will be integrated into the IP set-top boxes and residential gateways supplied by Motorola, Scientific Atlanta and 2Wire for AT&T’s U-Verse broadband and video services, with consumer voice to follow in the future.

In a statement today, AT&T called HomePNA “the best option for distributing IP-based video services inside customers' homes," citing its "ability to work over both coaxial cable and traditional phone lines.”

AT&T’s choice contrasts with that of Verizon Communications, which, in its fiber-to-the-premises network, uses MoCA, the technology promoted by the Multimedia over Coax Alliance that makes use of homes’ existing coaxial cable. Verizon has said it hasn’t ruled out other technologies but is committed to the notion that any future in-home distribution plans will only involve the home’s existing infrastructure, whether that’s coaxial cable, phone lines or power lines.

In March, the HomePNA Alliance announced it was starting work on a HomePNA 3.1 specification, which would support 320 Mb/s over phone lines and coax. At the time, the alliance predicted that standard to be complete some time this summer.

Also in March, the alliance named Phyllis Anderson, technical standards manager at AT&T Labs, as chairperson of the HomePNA technical committee. SBC Labs joined the alliance as a member in November 2005.

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