Telefónica Joins HomeGrid Forum Board of Directors

HomeGrid Forum, a global, non-profit trade group promoting the United Nations' International Telecommunication Union's G.hn standardization efforts, announced that one of the largest telecommunications service providers in Europe and Latin America -- Telefónica -- has been appointed to the organization's board of directors. This announcement confirms the growing importance and broadening adoption of G.hn as the next-generation global standard for wired home networking.

The G.hn standard is designed to deliver a unified technology for the wired home network that addresses key issues of service providers, electronics manufacturers, and consumers alike. Through one worldwide standard, G.hn will unify the networking of content and devices over any wire -- coax cable, phone, and power lines. G.hn enables service providers to deploy new offerings, including IPTV, more cost effectively; allows electronics manufacturers to provide powerful devices for connecting all types of entertainment, home automation, and security products throughout the house; and greatly simplifies consumer purchasing and installation processes.

The addition of Telefónica to the HomeGrid board is evidence of the increasing support from telecommunications carriers around the world. Telefónica's global reach throughout Europe and Latin America, along with their endorsement of the standard, increases the momentum for the adoption of G.hn on a global scale.

Telefónica joins a growing list of industry-leading organizations that are part of HomeGrid Forum. Global leaders in the service provider, computing, and consumer electronics industries also support the adoption of G.hn through their participation in the ITU-T.

For a complete list of HomeGrid Forum members, visit www.homegridforum.org.

Sigma Design Joins HomeGrid Forum Board of Directors

HomeGrid Forum announced that Sigma Designs, Inc. has joined its Board of Directors.

Sigma Designs brings additional semiconductor industry expertise to the group, which also includes representatives from leading retailers, service providers, PC manufacturers and consumer electronics companies – all supporting the development and delivery of next-generation wired home networking products based on G.hn technology.

Sigma Designs is part of a growing list of industry-leading organizations that are part of HomeGrid Forum. Global leaders in the service provider, computing, and consumer electronics industries also support the adoption of G.hn through their participation in the ITU-T.

For a complete list of HomeGrid Forum members, visit http://www.homegridforum.org/.

For the full press release, click here.

HomeGrid Forum Press Briefing at CONNECTIONS™: Tuesday, June 24th at 2 pm

The HomeGrid Forum is hosting a 40 minute press briefing on Tuesday June 24th at the Santa Clara Convention Center, Room 202 in conjunction with CONNECTIONS™: The Digital Living Conference and Showcase.

HomeGrid has launched three work groups: a G.hn Contribution Work Group, a Compliance & Interoperability Work Group and a Marketing Work Group with the goals of helping to establish industries' technical requirements, ensuring interoperability, branding and marketing of HomeGrid Certified Products.

In addition, HomeGrid Forum is recruiting additional members from leading silicon providers, service providers, CE companies, PC companies and others. To join, please visit www.HomeGridForum.org/join.

“HomeGrid Forum Press Briefing at CONNECTIONS” -- This Press Briefing will include an update on activities since the April 29th launch including liaison agreements, membership, etc.

Tuesday, June 24th, 2 pm

Santa Clara Convention Center, Room 202
5001 Great America Parkway
Santa Clara, California 95054

Floorplan: http://www.santaclara.org/conventioncenter/floorplan.cfm

Press Registration: http://www.parksassociates.com/events/connections/2008/media/presspass.htm

To confirm your attendance and/or to arrange a meeting with HomeGrid, please contact Agnes Toan at +1(408) 503 - 2587 or agnes.toan@infineon.com

About HomeGrid Forum
HomeGrid Forum supports the development of a next-generation single coax, powerline and phone line standard for home networking, promotes its wide adoption, and ensures compliance and interoperability.

HomeGrid Forum has 11 founding members. Infineon, Intel, Panasonic and Texas Instruments will serve on the board of directors. Aware Inc., DS2, Gigle Semiconductor and Pulse~LINK will serve as Promoters; and Ikanos Communications, Inc., Sigma Designs and Westell will serve as Contributors.For more information on The HomeGrid Forum, please visit: http://www.homegridforum.org/home.

Paul Liao, CTO, Panasonic, to introduce HomeGrid Forum Initiative in CONNECTIONS™ Keynote

New initiative promotes unified standard for networked multimedia products in the home...

Parks Associates and CEA® announced Paul Liao, CTO, Panasonic North America, will provide the Closing Keynote on June 25, 2008, at CONNECTIONS™ in Santa Clara, where he will discuss the new HomeGrid Forum initiative.

In his presentation “Uniting the Industry to Accelerate Home Network Adoption,” 5:00 p.m. on June 25, Mr. Liao will discuss the efforts of the HomeGrid Forum, which aims to promote a single, worldwide standard for networking digital content over coax, phone, and power lines in the home. Mr. Liao will outline the benefits of the initiative in driving worldwide adoption of networked multimedia products and specify the steps necessary for the industry in reaching a mass market.

HomeGrid Forum has 11 founding members. Infineon, Intel, Panasonic, and Texas Instruments are on the board of directors. Aware Inc., DS2, Gigle Semiconductor, and Pulse~LINK are Promoters. Ikanos Communications, Inc., Sigma Designs, and Westell are Contributors.

Info about HomeGrid Forum can be found at http://www.homegridforum.org/