IEEE Effort Targets Broader 802.3 Use

By Paula Bernier
Executive Editor, TMC

Connectivity is moving beyond your run-of-the-mill applications to touch all kinds of operations. When we discuss this new trend, and the growth of the Internet of Things, the conversation frequently revolves around cellular or other mobile communications. But IEEE (News - Alert) 802.3 Ethernet is evolving beyond the campus, data center, and enterprise arenas as well to address additional things such as automotive and industrial applications.

Evidence of this is New Ethernet Applications, a new activity out of the IEEE and the IEEE Standards Association. The goal is to identify and address standards development requirements to support the broader use of IEEE 802.3.

“There is a growing call for standards-based Ethernet solutions and IEEE is committed to address industry needs as quickly and effectively as possible,” said John D’Ambrosia, chair of the New Industry Applications IEEE-SA IC Activity. “IEEE 802.3 NEA-IC is ideally positioned to help build consensus on new IEEE 802.3 standards and establishes a framework for standards development activities that are comprehensive and collaborative, and that lead to standards being more broadly adopted across a growing number of industry applications.”

As noted above, cellular is another technology being used to support the Internet of Things. And cellular networks are evolving to better address the IoT as well.

Just look at last week’s news from Verizon (News - Alert) about rolling out the first nationwide 4G LTE Category M1 network. Cat M1 is designed for sensors and requires less power, allowing for extended battery life of endpoints such as connected asset trackers, consumer electronics devices, and smart water meters.

The carrier worked with suppliers Altair, Gemalto, Qualcomm Technologies, Sequans, Sierra Wireless (News - Alert), Telit, and U-Blox to make the Cat M1 network a reality. In past interviews with IoT Evolution magazine, Eran Eshed, co-founder and vice president of worldwide sales and marketing at Altair Semiconductor, has referred to Cat M1 as the Holy Grail for the cellular IoT industry. That’s because it offers significant enhancements related to such key performance indicators as power consumption and coverage, while lowering the cellular module cost to single-digit figures.