The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) intends G.hn to be a universal standard for wired home connectivity, covering in-home powerline, phone line and coaxial infrastructure. The standard will allow for speeds as high as 1G bps (bit per second), according to the organization, which is affiliated with the United Nations.

As telecommunications carriers and cable operators expand their data and entertainment offerings, they want to provide ways for consumers to enjoy those services around their homes. Wi-Fi is expected to continue as the main way to wirelessly surf the Internet on PCs, but various wired technologies remain in the mix for rich content such as high-definition TV streams.

A single standard for all three types of wires could allow consumer electronics manufacturers to build just one home networking chip into their products instead of three, cutting their costs. In addition, a universal standard could simplify the installation of connected consumer electronics devices for carriers or consumers.

On Oct. 9, the ITU-T Study Group 15 approved the physical layer and architectural components of G.hn. The data link layer still needs approval, which the ITU said it expects in May 2010. The HomeGrid Forum, formed to promote G.hn, said late last year it expected products on the market in 2010, a forecast the ITU repeated in a press release on Thursday.

But the planned universal specification may run into growing competition from purveyors of current home networking technologies, such as HomePNA, that already have a foothold in service provider deployments.