Power over Ethernet Plus
call for interest

The following request for agenda time for a "call for interest" has been received from Mike McCormack. It will be made during the IEEE 802 LMSC November 2004 Plenary meeting in San Antonio, TX, USA. If you have any questions please get in touch with either Mike McCormack or Bob Grow (Chair 802.3) directly.

DTE Power via MDI (802.3 Clause 33), aka Power over Ethernet, aka PoE, has been a successful enhancement to the 802.3 standard that has opened new application spaces and eased the deployment of network equipment. Since the publication of 802.3af in June 2003, PoE has become the preferred power source for numerous network devices, most notably WLAN access points, IP telephones, and networked security cameras. PoE has played a significant role in extending Ethernet's reach beyond traditional applications. As with any successful technology, the market is changing rapidly and some of the market needs are not easily addressed by the present standard. Consequently, companies are releasing nonstandard, noninteroperable devices to address market needs. This has the unfortunate effect of diluting and even endangering the standard. Also, other standards organizations are working on overlapping power standards that have had the unintended effect of confusing the market. This situation is not likely to improve without attention from the 802.3 Working Group.