WG 20 - TC 57/WG 20

IEC 62488-1:2025 applies to the planning of analogue (APLC), digital (DPLC) and hybrid analogue-digital (ADPLC) power line carrier communication systems operating over HV electric power networks. The object of this document is to establish the planning of the services and performance parameters for the operational requirements to transmit and receive data efficiently and reliably.
Such analogue and digital power line carrier systems are used by the different electricity supply industries and integrated into their communication infrastructure using common communication technologies such as radio links, fibre optic and satellite networks
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition published in 2012. This edition constitutes a technical revision.
This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition:
a) Complete revision of this edition with respect to the previous edition with the main focus on planning of analogue and digital power line carrier systems operating over HV power networks;
b) A general structure of a bidirectional point-to-multipoint APLC, DPLC or ADPLC link has been introduced;
c) Introduction of a new approach for global frequency planning.

IEC 62488-3:2021 applies to power line carrier terminals and networks used to transmit information over power networks including extra high, high and medium voltage (EHV/HV/MV) power lines using both digital and optionally analogue modulation systems in a frequency range between 16 kHz and 1 MHz (see also IEC 62488-1).
In many countries, power line carrier (PLC) channels represent a significant part of the utility-owned telecommunication system. A circuit normally routed via a PLC channel can also be routed via a channel using a different transmission medium such as point to point radio, optical fibre or open wire circuit.
It is therefore important that the input and output interfaces that are used between terminals in the communication system are standardised.
The issues requiring consideration of DPLC and/or APLC devices as parts of a telecommunication network can be found in IEC 62488-1.
The scope of this document also includes the description of I/O interfaces and test set-ups that are necessary to qualify characteristics of DPLC or ADPLC terminal at link level.

IEC 62488-2:2017 applies to Amplitude Modulation Single Sideband (AM-SSB) Analogue Power Line Carrier (APLC) Terminals and Systems used to transmit information over power lines (EHV/HV/MV). In particular this document covers basically baseband signals with bandwidths of 4 kHz and 2,5 kHz, or multiples thereof, corresponding to the same high frequency bandwidth/s for single or multi-channel APLC terminals.
The contents of the corrigendum of January 2020 and March 2023 have been included in this copy.

IEC 62488-1:2012 applies to the planning of analogue and digital power line carrier systems operating over EHV/HV/MV electricity grids. The object of this standard is to establish the planning of the services and performance parameters for the operational requirements to transmit and receive data efficiently over power networks. The transmission media used by the different electricity supply industries will include analogue and digital systems together with more common communication services including national telecommunications authorities, radio links and fibre optic networks and satellite networks. With the developments in communication infrastructures over the last two decades and the ability of devices connected in the electricity communications network to internally and externally communicate, there is a variety of architectures to use in the electricity distribution network to provide efficient seamless communications.