The groundbreaking utility paradigm that utilizes existing outdoor secondary powerlines to distribute Gigabit internet directly into client structures—literally, one wire (onewyr) carrying both electricity (energy) and high-speed broadband (communications).
How onewyr Reinvents Telecom
Modern telecommunication carriers burn billions of dollars trenching optical cables through front yards and boring into walls. onewyr exploits the pre-existing electrical power line drop to ride multi-megahertz carrier signals safely alongside municipal power, delivering energy and data communications over a single wire.
By deploying ruggedized media converters directly at the transformer level (or utility pole), fiber optics, cable coax, or phone drops terminate safely outside the residential envelope.
Data translates from ethernet frames into high-frequency analog signals mapped directly onto the primary 120V/240V utility copper drops. Data flows effortlessly through the electricity meter.
The consumer plugs a miniature, robust PLC adapter into any wall outlet inside the structure, instantly extracting high-performance Ethernet interfaces with no professional configuration.
Fiber, coax, or phone wire reaches the utility-side breakout location.
The incoming communications media is converted to Ethernet.
Ethernet is converted to a Power Line Carrier signal.
The customer's existing power line carries electricity and data.
A plug-in adapter presents Ethernet to the home network.
The Complete onewyr System Blueprint
Click any component highlighted in our vectorized patent layout below to isolate the hardware, view its signal properties, and read description summaries excerpted from the Gerry Hall 2014 application.
A specialized pole-based weatherproof housing containing an outdoor Power Line Carrier converter and an optional Wi-Fi Access Point, serving as the link between municipal telecommunications lines and the residential power drops.
Within the weatherproof outdoor Breakout Box (Fig 2), a Media Converter converts network inputs (Fiber/Coax/DSL) directly into standardized Gigabit Ethernet. A tightly coupled Power Line Carrier Converter maps these ethernet streams directly onto the high-voltage mains drops.
Double-click nodes 1 or 2 to see modular diagramsLive Waveform Modulator (PLC Demo)
Understand the technology that powers onewyr. Use the laboratory dashboard below to generate low-frequency power currents, modulate them with high-frequency telemetry carrier bursts, and view the filtered results.
Power Lines carry 120V to 240V of AC electricity at a low frequency (60Hz / 50Hz). Our technology overlays safe, ultra-low-voltage microvolt data cycles running in the Megahertz (MHz) spectrum. Filters at each node split them seamlessly.
SYS_INIT: OK
FREQ_MAIN: 60.012 Hz
CARRIER_BAND: 2.1 - 30.0 MHz
RX_STREAM: IDLE
VOLTS/DIV: 50.0 V
TIME/DIV: 5.00 ms
COUPLING: POWER AC
ONEWYR CORP © 2014
Patent Office Archives & Claims
Read through the original technical specifications, patent claims, and summary reports submitted by Gerry Hall for patent filing on March 17, 2014.
"onewyr (originally filed as One-Wire) is a data communication system to use a home or businesses existing power line to carry data to that customer. The system has two parts. The first is an outdoor breakout box with a connection to the customer service powerline. The breakout box can be mounted to the pole or bottom of the customer's transformer. The breakout box also connects to the communications network by fiber, coax, or phone wire. The second part is a powerline adapter that plugs into any outlet. The adapter has an ethernet jack to connect to the customers data network."
"The system uses existing Power Line Carrier technology to carry the data from outside the customers location into the locations data network. An in-home power line data converter that plugs into an outlet and provides an ethernet port for in-home IP data communications. The data communications can provide internet, TV, Phone and other data services over a single existing power connection to the customer."
"A data communication system for communicating information over a power line to a customer's home or business. The system connects the outdoor service powerline to a Power Line Carrier data converter that connects to the customers electrical system."
"The outdoor electronics are contained in a pole based breakout box or bottom of the transformer breakout box. The breakout box connects to the communications network by fiber, coax, or phone wire. The breakout box contains a power line data converter, and fiber or ethernet transceiver. An in-home power line data converter that plugs into an outlet and provides ethernet port for in-home IP data communications."
A data communication system for communicating information over a power line to a homes or businesses in home electrical system comprising of:
A Pole based breakout box or bottom of transformer breakout box containing connection to communication system, power line data converter, and optional Wi-Fi access point.
The breakout box also connects to the communications network by fiber, coax, or phone wire.
A power lead from breakout box to customer service line off of the transformer.
In-home power line data converter that plugs into outlet and provides ethernet port for in-home IP data communications.
"onewyr is a data communication system to use a home or businesses existing power line to carry data to that customer. Diagram 1 shows the full onewyr system. Showing how the communications system connects to the breakout box. The breakout box is shown in more detail in diagram 2. From the breakout box Power Line Carrier adapter to the customers power service line. This connects to the in-home Power Line data converter and shown in more detail in diagram 3. This carries the data from the communications network all the way to the customers data network. The customer's home network is shown in more detail in Diagram 3."
"The system uses existing Power Line Carrier technology to carry the data from outside the customers location into the locations data network. An in-home power line data converter that plugs into an outlet and provides an ethernet port for in-home IP data communications. The data communications can provide internet, TV, Phone and other data services over a single existing power connection to the customer."
onewyr is a utility-edge communications concept built around a simple idea: one wire carrying both energy and communications to homes and businesses.
Rather than selling the technology as "another adapter," the stronger story is about lowering construction friction, enabling faster service enablement, and offering a cleaner handoff to the customer network.
Validation & Pilot Path
The practical next steps for moving the onewyr concept towards a controlled feasibility and safety validation path.
Validate signal quality, transformer behavior, grounding, and bandwidth limits.
Assess utility safety, isolation, weatherproofing, and code compliance.
Assemble conversion and handoff in a controlled, safe test environment.
Test a small number of sites with utility oversight and instrumentation.
Implementing the onewyr protocol allows your utility grid to instantly unlock a second high-margin revenue stream. Scale local broadband coverage to 100% of grid-tied consumers within days, instead of years.