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BT Joins HomeGrid Forum Board of Directors
Innovative Service Provider Reaffirms Need for Single Wired Networking Technology
| Source: HomeGrid Forum
BEAVERTON, OR--(Marketwire - May 27, 2009) - HomeGrid Forum, a global,
non-profit trade group promoting the United Nations' International
Telecommunication Union's (ITU-T) G.hn standardization efforts,
today announced that BT (British Telecommunications plc) has joined the
organization and its Board of Directors. Today's announcement reaffirms the
increasing interest and importance of G.hn as the next-generation global
standard for the wired home.
"The addition of BT, one of the world's most innovative service providers,
to the HomeGrid Forum board demonstrates significant momentum for the G.hn
home-networking standard," said
Matthew Theall, president of HomeGrid Forum. "With G.hn technology,
organizations like BT will be able to easily deploy a whole range of
managed revenue-generating services and distribute those offerings anywhere
in the home over any type of wiring."
The G.hn standard is aimed to deliver a single unified technology for the
wired home network that addresses key issues of service providers,
electronics manufacturers, and consumers alike. Through one worldwide
standard, G.hn will unify the networking of content and devices over any
wire -- coax cable, phone and power lines. G.hn enables service providers
to deploy new offerings including IPTV more cost effectively; allows
consumer electronics manufacturers to provide powerful devices for
connecting all types of entertainment, home automation and security
products throughout the house; and greatly simplifies consumer purchasing
and installation processes.
"Today we provide customers everything from voice calling to advanced video
on demand offerings. BT supports the G.hn standard as we believe it will
enable us to enhance our customers' experience relating to the services
we offer -- connecting customers more effectively with content," said Bob
Bissell, chief customer environment strategist at BT, and HomeGrid Forum
board member. "We have been an active participant in the ITU workgroup for
G.hn, and look forward to working with HomeGrid Forum to promote and bring
this new standard-based technology to market."
BT joins a growing list of industry-leading organizations that are part of
HomeGrid Forum. Global leaders in the service provider, computing, and
consumer electronics industries also support the adoption of G.hn through
their participation in the ITU-T. For a complete list of HomeGrid Forum
members, visit www.homegridforum.org.
About BT
BT is one of the world's leading providers of communications solutions and
services operating in 170 countries. Its principal activities include the
provision of networked IT services globally; local, national and
international telecommunications services to our customers for use at home,
at work and on the move; broadband and internet products and services and
converged fixed/mobile products and services. BT consists principally of
four lines of business: BT Global Services, Openreach, BT Retail and BT
Wholesale.
In the year ended 31 March 2009, BT Group's revenue was £21,390 million.
British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT
Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT
Group. BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York.
For more information, visit www.bt.com/aboutbt
About HomeGrid Forum
HomeGrid Forum is a global, non-profit trade group promoting the
International Telecommunication Union's G.hn standardization efforts for
next-generation home networking. HomeGrid Forum promotes adoption of G.hn
through technical and marketing efforts, addresses certification and
interoperability of G.hn-compliant products, and cooperates with
complementary industry alliances. To learn more about becoming a HomeGrid
member, please visit www.HomeGridForum.org/join.