Marvell moves into PLC

Marvell reports the acquisition of the IP and assets of powerline communications solutions provider Diseno de Sistemas en Silicio SA (DS2). Powerline technology uses electrical power wiring as a data networking medium, so that consumers can quickly and affordably create a "connected home" that can stream digital content to and from any room at high speeds. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

More and more homes are using multiple wired and wireless networks for backbone data transmission and entertainment sharing, to on-demand video and home automation. The trend is driving the need for greater bandwidth requirements in the home, as people and families expect to seamlessly share content and information across a growing number of connected digital and energy management devices. Powerline technology represents one of the easiest and most reliable ways to meet this growing market demand by offering a ubiquitous broadband solution that optimizes networking over existing power, coaxial cable, phone lines and other wiring. The advantages of a powerline network become clearer when compared to the alternative of spending time and money wiring a home for Ethernet or deploying a wireless network that cannot provide the transmission speeds necessary for streaming digital video and other multimedia content.

"With the industry ready to standardize on powerline technology and consumer demand for new home networking options rising fast, now is the time to drive innovation in this space," said Gani Jusuf, VP of product development, communications and consumer business group of Marvell. "Powerline technology makes sense for many reasons, even for consumers who already have existing wired or wireless networks. By enabling any wall outlet in your home to serve as a broadband network connection that can send and receive data at high speeds, consumers can extend the capabilities of their existing networks or construct a totally new stand alone network optimized for streaming media. Our newly integrated engineering teams will focus on raising the bar for Powerline's performance, availability and ease-of-use for consumers everywhere."