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Wi-SUN Alliance Event Promotes Smart Utility Network Interoperability
[May 31, 2013]

Wi-SUN Alliance Event Promotes Smart Utility Network Interoperability


May 31, 2013 (Close-Up Media via COMTEX) -- The Wi-SUN Alliance, a global organization leading the promotion, standards compliance, and interoperability testing of Smart Utility Network devices, announced a milestone in furthering multi-vendor, multi-layer interoperability for such devices.



According to a release, at the 3rd Wi-SUN Interoperability Event, hosted by TUV Rheinland at its Smart Grid Test Lab in Pleasanton California, Wi-SUN members demonstrated interoperability between their independent, standards-based products already in widespread use in utility networks today.

"Wi-SUN has made significant progress in the past few months developing a testing strategy to ensure interoperability of Smart Utility Network products," said Phil Beecher, Chairman of the Wi-SUN Alliance. "This 3rd interoperability event follows a significant period of effort by the Alliance in the development of a NIST SGIP compliant testing process for a range of products including radio ICs, modules, and end products. Alliance members such as Cisco, Silver Spring Networks, NICT and others have actively collaborated in developing a Field Area Network Profile consolidating key Smart Grid standards into a well-defined and testable package. The success of this event marks a key next step in making a rigorous interoperability testing program available to utilities and vendors worldwide." At the Interoperability Event, Wi-SUN member companies including Analog Devices, Cisco, EDIC Systems, Murata, NICT, Procubed and Silver Spring Networks all contributed products demonstrating implementations of the Wi-SUN Field Area Network (FAN) specification. The Alliance conducted testing of these platforms, demonstrating interoperable products supporting 6LoWPAN over IEEE 802.15.4g. Highlighting the global nature of the Wi-SUN Alliance, members demonstrated interoperability in sub-GHz frequency bands appropriate for many different regions including North & South America, Asia, Australia/New Zealand and Europe. In addition to these demonstrations by product vendor members, test equipment vendor members actively developing test equipment and tools specifically aligned to Wi-SUN FAN test plans also provided demonstrations of progress in those areas.


"We are very pleased with the results of this first collective execution of the Wi-SUN FAN test plan," said Tom Herbst of Silver Spring Networks, Chairman of the Wi-SUN FAN Working Group. "A large number of global companies were able to successfully demonstrate interoperability using the current test plan, which is a testament to the diligence of our Alliance members in ensuring an open and participatory process that meets as broadly as possible the needs of the industry." "The broad participation in, and success of, this interoperability event has been very gratifying," said Paul Duffy of Cisco, co-chairman of the Wi-SUN FAN Working Group. "We feel that validates not only the direction of the market but also Wi-SUN's objectives and approach to meeting the market's expectations." "This Interop Event has redefined the achievements of our effort in promoting global interoperability for our products," said Chin Sean Sum of NICT, Chair of Wi-SUN Test and Certification Working Group. "It is our intention to maintain this momentum by systematically organizing more of such events in the future." Wi-SUN will exhibit live demonstrations of multi-vendor FAN interoperability at the upcoming Wireless Japan 2013 exhibition next month in Tokyo, Japan.

The Wi-SUN Alliance is an association of companies working together to enable low-power, wireless Smart Utility products based on an open global standard IEEE 802.15.4g.

More information: www.wi-sun.org ((Comments on this story may be sent to [email protected]))

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