DS2 introduces low-cost 100Mbps powerline chipset for networking applications

December 12, 2007 – Spanish firm DS2 has announced the availability of its MONTGO powerline communications chipset for the consumer market, offering a maximum data rate of 100Mbps.

The MONTGO chipset offers full interoperability with DS2’s Universal Powerline Association Digital Home Systems Standard (UPA-DHS) compliant 200Mbps product and future 400Mbps powerline products.  Samples will be available to customers in the first quarter of next year, and it will be shipping in volume from the second quarter of next year.

“Until today, equipment manufacturers have been offered medium-speed Powerline ICs that are expensive, estimated to be between $8 and $10 for an 85Mbps and approximately $5 for 14Mbps Powerline IC from Intellon and which are not compatible with higher speed 200Mbps products,” said Chano Gomez, Vice President of Technology and Strategic Partnerships for DS2.  “Consumers are then offered products that lack high performance and that risk becoming obsolete as the industry moves to 200Mbps, 300Mbps and future 400Mbps.

"Our new MONTGO chipset solves these two problems: it’s very competitively prices at $5.55 and can interoperate with 200Mbps and future 400Mbps powerline products.  This provides a very compelling proposition to device manufacturers, service providers and consumers.”