22nd October 2014, Madrid: PRIME members met at DNV GL, Madrid last week for the second phase of vendor interoperability testing for the about to be released, new 1.4 specifications.
New features of the 1.4 specifications will include increased robustness and throughput, band expansion to FCC and ARIB, band-plan flexibility and IPv6 support whilst maintaining backwards compatibility. All changes are as a result of significant field experience and intensive simulation and verification of technical alternatives.
Interoperability testing at the MAC layer level took place last week, with PRIME members coming together at this intensive ‘plugfest’ workshop, where they tested the interoperability of their MAC layer implementations, as well as the advantages of the new release.
This MAC ‘plugfest’ completes the previous PHY ‘plugfest’ held in Bilbao in TECNALIA premises, in July 2014, where PRIME members tested the interoperability of their PHY layer implementations.
Both sessions have been a complete success and the goals have been met by far, demonstrating to the industry and the customers that PRIME is a reality projecting itself into new markets and services such as grid automation and demand response, with these functionalities currently under test and the guarantee of backward compatibility with the existing installed base. PRIME Members Atmel, Renesas, STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments and ZIV took part in these ‘plugfests’, assisted by DNV GL, ITE and TECNALIA.
As the PRIME member community develops and tests new features and functionalities going beyond the traditional utility smart metering business, a new portfolio of added-value services will be unleashed, that strongly improves the business case and fit the requirements of an evolving smart grid network.
PRIME Version 1.4 specifications will be released at European Utility Week, 4 – 6th November. Visit booth 1.A14 to find out more.
1st PRIME Alliance Utility User group hosted by Iberdrola and Gas Natural Fenosa, 21st and 22nd January, Madrid – utilities can register by emailing sue.dawes@prime-alliance.org or visiting our website www.prime-alliance.org/usergroup
About PRIME Alliance
PRIME (PoweRline Intelligent Metering Evolution) Alliance AISBL was created in 2009 to define an open and future-proofed communications PLC-based infrastructure to support large scale smart metering and other smart grid deployments. The PRIME Alliance has attracted key industry players, including Sponsoring Members ZIV Distribution Automation Systems, Ormazabal and Sagemcom. The goal of the Alliance is to provide a framework in which the smart metering and smart grid industry have access to open detailed technical specifications in order to develop fully interoperable solutions, allowing multiple vendors to be operational within the same distribution network in one common system architecture. Detailed technical specs include Physical PHY layer and Medium Access Control MAC layer specifications.
The PRIME Alliance provides a forum for the definition, maintenance and support of an open and comprehensive standard for narrowband power line for Smart Grid products and services. The mission of the Alliance is to accelerate the demand for products and services based on this worldwide standard and promote the broad adoption and use of the specification while certifying multi-vendor interoperability and compatibility with the global standard. The Alliance is open to all potential partners who agree to actively support and promote an open and public specification for the benefit of the end-user and all industry stakeholders. Visit www.prime-alliance.org for more information or to join the Alliance.
Media Contact
Sue Dawes
PRIME Alliance AISBL
T: +44 (0) 1923 286401
M: +44 (0) 7786 391243