About a year ago (cf. EBU Tech-i magazine n°5, September 2010), the situation with regard to the standardization of PLT equipments was almost at a dead end. Now the situation is more promising with the achievement by CENELEC of a Draft standard for in-home HF PLT using frequencies below 30 MHz. In-home PLT refers to devices plugged to electricity sockets and used to distribute data within buildings.
CENELEC had started work in mid-2010 under instructions from the European Commission to develop a European product standard for emissions from PLT apparatus of all types. In this context, the EBU members’ experts have developed a guide on broadcasters’ requirements with regard to the development of PLT standard (EBU R119).
Imminent voting on draft standard for HF in-home PLT
Concerning in-home PLT using frequencies in the HF bands (below 30 MHz) the final version of the draft standard has been issued on 24 June 2011 under reference FprEN 50561-1:2011.
It states that HF broadcasting is clearly required to be protected and that this must be achieved for all HF broadcast bands, whether by permanent notching or by other means satisfying the key requirements.
The experts of EBU members have checked the final version and verified that it meets with the broadcasters’ approval. It represents the best chance of getting an outcome more or less in line with the EBU position in R119. Therefore, the EBU has invited its Members to express their support of a “Yes vote” in their National Committees, before the target date for the CENELEC voting on 26 August 2011.
Next phases
CENELEC is now working on a second Draft standard relating to Access PLT using the HF bands below 30 MHz. Access PLT covers the “last mile” between the electricity supply sub-station and the user.
Concerning in-home PLT using frequencies above 30 MHz, some devices are already in the market using frequencies up to 300 MHz. First measurements carried out by EBU member organizations on these devices have shown that interference to FM and DAB services would be significant if PLT devices with similar characteristics were widely deployed (see figures). The CENELEC draft standard for such devices is planned in a third phase.
