LEA S.A.S. (Affiliated to HF group of companies), French corporation and world-wide leader of broadband xDSL and PLC, together with Intellon Corporation, the leading global provider of HomePlug-compatible integrated circuits (ICs) for whole-house connectivity, entertainment networking and triple-play enablement, announced that LEA has designed an 85Mbps HomePlug product to address the emerging market of Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) for Neuf Cegetel, a leading alternative French operator.

In recent years, telecom service providers have introduced innovative new services for delivering TV over ADSL networks. As customers subscribe to these services, reliable, uninterrupted network connectivity between the access modem and the IPTV set-top-box becomes essential. For that reason, wireless is less than optimal for services such as IPTV. Though Ethernet cable offers reliability, many customers prefer not to run visible cabling through their homes.

LEA's NetPlug adapters leverage HomePlug-based technology, allowing IPTV subscribers of Neuf Cegetel to achieve connectivity between their Neuf Box (the broadband modem) and their Neuf TV decoder (the IPTV set-top-box) using the existing power lines in their homes. Based on Intellon Corporation's advanced 85Mbps HomePlug 1.0 with Turbo technology, customers can solve the inconvenience of connecting via Ethernet and the reliability concerns of wireless. After successfully testing the HomePlug 1.0 with Turbo adapters with the Neuf IPTV services, Neuf Cegetel decided to partner with LEA S.A.S. to co-brand adapters for its subscribers.

"The service-provider industry has recognized that HomePlug technology is the enabling solution of choice for whole-house networking and customer satisfaction," said Olivier Exelmans, LEA's PLC Business Line Manager. "The technology and support we received from Intellon enabled us to step in and fill the need for this growing market. Both the subscribers and service provider are delighted with the elegance and simplicity of our HomePlug adapter solution -- no need for technical assistance or the installation of new wiring, it's a self-install proposition that works."

"We are seeing a rapid rise in demand for our HomePlug products because they enable the best available solutions for fast, secure and reliable whole-house networking," stated Cameron McCaskill, vice president of business development for Intellon. "Intellon Corporation's No New Wires HomePlug-based integrated circuits are being chosen by manufacturers and service providers worldwide to meet the technical demands of whole-house service deployment and media distribution. We are proud to have a supporting role in LEA's success."

HomePlug PLC adapters from LEA and many other manufacturers are on display at CeBIT in the Intellon Booth, Hall 14, Stand H13. Intellon is also demonstrating streaming high-definition video using the new HomePlug AV 200Mbps powerline communications technology.