The IEEE last fall approved the PoE Plus study group’s project authentication request, and thus promoted the body to an official Task Force. Recognized as IEEE P802.3at, the task force is building on the existing 803.3af specification to enable at least 30 watts of power to move over standard Ethernet cables, as opposed to 13 watts.
Venture Development Corp. (VDC) in Natick, Mass., is offering the report, “PoE: Global Market Opportunity Analysis,” which examines the influence that a higher power standard will have on the marketplace.
The report estimates that during a four-year period, powered device sales will exhibit a 38 percent compound annual growth rate, and in 2008 the market will exceed $5.2 billion in revenues. The later portion of sales will be derived primarily from new applications or powered devices that will use this new higher power standard.
One portion of the report analyzes more than 40 applications to identify and rate the likelihood of PoE penetration for each. The results distinguish design opportunities and potential growth rates for these various applications. Applications embodied six different verticals, including entertainment, network infrastructure, computers/peripherals, building control, security, and retail.
Of the 46 applications analyzed, the results indicated PoE Plus has the potential to affect the adoption and growth rates for 19 different applications-the largest of which are pan-tilt zoom cameras, information kiosks, laptop computers, audio equipment, and workgroup switches.
The ratification of a higher power standard and the growing number of Greenfield installations will incite retail stores, restaurants, and even residents to adopt Power over Ethernet technologies.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if in 20 years from now all new homes are PoE-equipped. Just imagine, sisters to the fuse box known as Power Sourcing Equipment that have the potential to power almost anything, from: lights, phones, speakers, to even monitor displays,” says VDC analyst Spyros Photopoulos.
For more information contact VDC online at www.vdc-corp.com/power/reports/05/br05-14.html.
