Today, Power over Ethernet effectively powers over 100 million end devices which are deployed in various applications including IP phones or wireless access points. With the technology’s limited power provision, PoE does have limitations, but that is all going to change. The introduction of the brand new IEEE 802.3bt PoE standard doubles and possibly can even triple the amount of power that is sent to end devices. This new powerful standard will allow other devices to offer PoE power above the modes which are currently available. IEEE 802.3bt has entered the task force and the group continues to research new ways to offer even more power.
Since the new standard will provide even more power to devices, the new standard will greatly aid the expansion of the PoE application base. Engineers seeking to provide simplicity, such as power and data together, can rely on power over Ethernet. This allows for a reduction in installation costs associated to installing separate lines. In addition, moving devices and relocating units is extremely simple, and can be as simple as moving a standard CAT5/6 cable rather than having an electrician relocate AC power sources.
Since vendors are already creating units that offer 60 watts of power or higher, the new IEEE 802.3bt standard will have high power applications even before the standard is released. This means that although the applications are available not according to standard, they are crafted and performance as systems that stand alone.
