Company: Actiontec Electronics, Sunnyvale, CA
Company Description: Founded in 1993, Actiontec has become a leader in high speed Internet modems and routers, shipping over 20 million Internet Access devices thus far. Our customers include Verizon, Qwest, TDS, MTS and hundreds of smaller carriers throughout North America. We continuously innovate, offering some of the most powerful, feature-rich routers in the residential market.
Nomination Category: Products & Product Management Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: New Product or Service of the Year - Hardware - Networking

Nomination Title: Actiontec’s 500 Mbps Powerline Network Adapters (PWR500)

Tell the story about this nominated product or service (up to 525 words). Describe its function, features, benefits, and performance to date:

While wireless is the most popular LAN technology in homes today, it can be problematic when it comes to demanding applications like IPTV and gaming. Home and building construction create dead spots, where wireless service is slower, less reliable or unavailable altogether. Actiontec’s 500 Mbps Powerline Network Adapters (PWR500) solve these headaches by combining the flexibility of wireless home networking with the stability and speeds of a wired connection.

With the PWR500, consumers can extend their broadband network wherever an electrical outlet is available. Based on the latest HomePlug AV Powerline technology, these adapters use a home’s existing electrical lines to create a high-performance, high bandwidth home network that’s perfect for home theater and gaming applications. These sleek adapters instantly turn any electrical outlet into a high- speed Internet connection.

Most consumers will be able to connect their Ethernet-enabled devices to the Internet at speeds up to 100 Mbps, without having to string Ethernet cables around the house or deal with any performance fluctuations like with Wi-Fi. Best of all, users enjoy connectivity wherever there’s an electrical outlet, meaning they can get a high speed connection anywhere they want… the basement, 2nd floor, garage, etc.

Here are 7 things to know about the new adapters:

1. Sets a new pricing benchmark: Actiontec has broken new ground by offering the Powerline Network Adapter kit for $49.99. That’s cheaper than wireless. When it comes to building a high performance home network for home theater and gaming applications, no one else is offering these speeds for this price.

2. Tiny size: The new adapters are tiny to seamlessly and discretely fit into any home theater setup. In fact, these adapters are half the size of other models on the market.

3. Blazing fast speeds: Based on the latest Powerline technology, these adapters  support speeds up to 500 Mbps on the Powerline side and 100 Mbps on the 10/100 Ethernet side. In short, they deliver wired Ethernet speeds without having to string an Ethernet cable from the living room to bedroom.

4. Compatible with most Ethernet-enabled devices: The adapters work with virtually any networking device that has an Ethernet port, such as: HDTVs, Blu-ray players, DVRs, Slingbox, gaming consoles, and more.

5. Easy to set up: Users simply plug the adapters into power outlets. No installation disks, drivers, or configuration are required.

6. More secure than wireless: The adapters are based on Actiontec’s popular push-button design that delivers advanced security (including 128-bit AES security) while keeping setup simple. Protecting the home network is as easy as pressing a button. As a result, consumers with little home networking experience can keep their personal data safe and eliminate the risk of network hijacking without struggling with complex configuration screens.

7. Reliable: The adapters offer a stable connection wherever there’s an electrical outlet, including traditionally hard-to-connect places like the basement or garage. Since it’s a wired connection, users don’t have to worry about performance fluctuations that can impact wireless transmission.

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Provide a brief (up to 125 words) biography about the leader(s) of the team that developed this nominated product or service:

As VP of Product Management, Spencer Behroozi is responsible for all aspects of product definition and management for Actiontec's current and next generation products, including DSL, wireless, fiber, VoIP, networking and consumer products. The industry veteran has more than 20 years experience in engineering and product management. He began at Actiontec in 2004 as Director of Product Management for CPE products. Prior to joining Actiontec, Behroozi held several technical and marketing management positions at Telecommunication companies, including Mesh Networks (acquired by Motorola), Jetstream Communications, Tut Systems (acquired by Motorola), and CellNet Data/Schlumberger. Behroozi began his career at General Motors, serving nearly a decade as Project Engineer, Product Development Engineer and Manufacturing Engineer. Behroozi received both an MS and BS in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University.

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