Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) specialist PowerDsine has announced that the IEEE has formed a new task force for creating an enhanced PoE standard, dubbed PoEPlus that will provide increased power of at least 30 W to PoE-powered devices. PoEPlus will more than double the 12.95 W available to powered devices in systems based on the existing IEEE 802.3af PoE standard. That standard was adopted by the IEEE in June 2003.
The creation of the new IEEE 802.3at Task Force maintains the momentum created during the PoEPlus Study Group and is a big step toward making PoEPlus into a new IEEE standard. Since the ratification of the 802.3af standard, PoE has become the preferred power source for numerous network devices. The power requirements of Ethernet devices that can benefit from safe and reliable PoE powering have increased. Next-generation devices, such as multi-channel and outdoor WLAN access points, videoscreen VoIP phones, network cameras and even laptop PCs, require more than the current power limit defined in the 802.3af PoE standard.