DS2, the
leading supplier for Universal Powerline Association (UPA) technology,
announced today that its powerline chips have been selected for BT
Vision to enable the self-installation option of its digital TV
services.
BT selected UPA powerline products because of their
capacity to provide high quality service and full self-installation for
BT Vision customers.
The DS2 solution includes a unique
reference design for the development of powerline products that
incorporates a female socket that saves the customer's power outlet for
use with other devices. It provides a simple one-touch set-up for
HDTV-speed home networks in seconds as well as an environmentally
friendly standby mode for energy saving when not in use.
Richard
Griffiths, Director of Technology, Strategy & Development for BT
Retail and BT Vision, commented: "BT chose DS2 because it delivers a
simple to install and very reliable networking technology. We
anticipate a big demand for the service and we're delighted to be
working with DS2."
UPA technology processes at a maximum gross
speed of 200Mbps. BT rigorously tested all networking technologies and
found that the capacity of DS2 chips delivers excellent IPTV viewing
capabilities. The technology supports the development of products that
are fully plug-and-play enabled so there is typically no need to have a
technician call to install the service or lay cables, or to use a
computer to configure the devices.
Jorge Blasco, President and
CEO of DS2 stated: "Using DS2 chips and Reference Designs allows
service providers such as BT to offer a simple "power and go" IPTV
service. As a chip supplier we are always looking to the future and
continuously developing to ensure a first-rate consumer experience. We
are now reaching the levels of integration and low silicon costs to
support the next step in the development of multimedia applications
over Powerline, which will be to embed the technology, as a first step,
inside the set-top box. We are excited to be working with BT to deliver
innovative new solutions that will take digital TV to the next level."
The
Universal Powerline Association (UPA) is an international body that has
created specifications and compliance testing worldwide. The UPA
Plugtested seal is a guarantee of compliance and interoperability
between products. UPA offers the largest choice of interoperable high
speed powerline products available on the market.
About BT Vision
BT
Vision is available to anyone with a BT Broadband connection with
suitable minimum line speed and a BT Home Hub. It offers a free
HD-ready set-top box, known as the V-Box, which includes all the 60 or
so Freeview TV and radio channels, an inclusive digital video recorder
(DVR) of up to 80 hours which allows viewers to pause and rewind live
TV, and offers instant viewing of thousands of hours of great
entertainment, including blockbuster and classic movies, cartoons,
music and TV programmes. For more details please go to www.bt.com/btvision
About DS2
DS2
is the world's leading supplier of the 200 Mbps technology that enables
home networking and broadband access over power line, coaxial cable,
and telephone wire. DS2 pioneered the industry with the introduction of
its 200 Mbps chipsets, creating the fastest and highest performance
solution for simultaneous data, digital audio and high-definition video
transmission. Two pre-eminent industry groups, the Universal Powerline
Association (UPA) and the European Union consortium OPERA (Open PLC
European Research Alliance) have adopted DS2 technology in support of
multi-vendor standard certified product. For more information, please
visit
www.ds2.es
Media Contacts:
Ann Whyte
DS2 - Director of Corp. Comms
Tel:+ 34 96 136 60 04
ann.whyte@ds2.es
Manuela Whittaker
The PressOffice, PR for DS2
Tel: +44(0)1780 721433
mwhittaker@pressoffice.targetwire.com
Giles Deards
BT plc. - Chief Press Officer
020-7356-6536
giles.deards@bt.com