Phonex Broadband Ships Revolutionary New Technology which Transmits Voice and Data Signals over Home Power Mains

24 Feb 2000

CeBIT 2000 - 02.24.2000 - Phonex Broadband Corporation, the Utah-based world leader of Power Line Carrier (PLC) voice and data communication devices, announced today that it is shipping a revolutionary new technology which transmits voice and data signals over the power mains in a home. The PhoneXtender™ product, which has received BABT 701 and NTR3 approvals for the United Kingdom, is now available for purchase throughout Great Britain. Phonex will showcase the PhoneXtender at the CEBIT show in Hannover, Germany, February 24-March 1.

Using patented technology, which enables telephone devices to communicate reliably using standard power mains, the PhoneXtender is a wireless carrier current phone extension system which turns any AC socket into a telephone outlet, transmitting voice and data signals on 220v power mains using closed-circuit, FM transmissions. The PhoneXtender can be plugged into any AC socket, providing an instant telephone outlet and distributing all phone, fax, and modem signals to any location within a home or small office. It offers high-end voice quality and includes noise reduction filters; security is assured by 65,000 random codes. The PhoneXtender provides instant connectivity with “no new wires”, and eliminates the costly installation of hardwired telephone outlets in difficult, if not impossible environments. The PhoneXtender can be installed by the consumer in less than two minutes and does not require PTO/BT or “DIY” installations. It can easily be moved around the home environment up to a 30 metre range.

The PhoneXtender has also been designed to support V.34 and V.90 modems (28.8 kpbs speeds and higher), making access to the World Wide Web possible from any AC socket in the home. The PhoneXtender is robust enough to support data access over the Internet and fast enough to support modem speeds required by users on the Web who want to quickly download large quantities of data. In addition, the PhoneXtender has obvious set-top box applications for cable or satellite TV, providing an instant connection to cable TV channels.

“The vast improvement of computer and telecommunications technology over the last few years has greatly affected the need in Europe for smart, easy-to-use solutions like the PhoneXtender,” said David Willis, managing director of the European office for Phonex Broadband. “The PhoneXtender technology is already installed in over two million households worldwide where it has been firmly proven for the last 11 years. This deployed technology has now been extensively modified to meet the rigorous requirements of the European Regulatory regimes and has received all necessary approvals for use in the United Kingdom.”

The PhoneXtender is available now in all major retail stores throughout Britain. Prices will be determined by individual retailers and are expected to be less than £100.

Filed: Feb 2000, Launches, Powerline Networking, Press, VOIP, Co: Phonex, Tech: None