quote:

---

FCC: Make Way for Speed Over Power
By Roy Mark
October 14, 2004

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved rules today clearing the way for commercial deployment of broadband over power lines (BPL). The decision classifies BPL as an unlicensed service with the rules primarily aimed at limiting interference with licensed radio services.

Broadband transmissions over electric power lines are not shielded to prevent radio interference in the same manner as telephone and cable lines. They can cause interference with certain radio frequencies. Amateur radio operators, in particular, have opposed BPL.

The rules impose new technical requirements on BPL equipment and establish "excluded frequency bands" that BPL must entirely avoid to protect aeronautical and aircraft communications.

In addition, "exclusion zones" are established in locations near sensitive operations, such as coast guard stations, where BPL must avoid operating on some frequencies. The rules also require power companies to consult with public safety agencies and federal government radio installations before deploying the technology through their power grids.

Amateur radio operators received no exclusions, but the rules require the establishment of a publicly available BPL notification database to help identify and resolve harmful interference claims.

"The [electricity] penetration rate probably exceeds that of telephone systems and cable systems. More amazingly, it reaches every outlet of every home," FCC Chairman Michael K. Powell said.

Pat Wood, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission chairman, issued a statement saying, "This technology holds tremendous potential, not just in providing new avenues for communications services, but in helping electricity systems operate more efficiently and reliably."

The nascent technology is already being used in Manassas, Va., and Cincinnati, Ohio, and more than 40 trials are under way throughout the country. With today's FCC approval, power companies are expected to step up efforts to provide a broadband alternative to cable modems and DSL.

"We talk so often about competition," Powell said. "Well here it is. All economists will tell you that magic happens when you find a third way.

"Just a few short years ago, critics argued that competition for the 'last mile' would never become a reality, because no one could duplicate or bypass the telephone line that ran from the curb into the home," Powell added. "BPL provides us with a potential new competitor in the broadband market."

While saying the broadband market is desperate for more competition, FCC Commissioner Michael J. Copps said he was disappointed that the decision "dodges the hardest BPL questions; issues such as universal service, disabilities access, E911, pole attachments, competition protections, and, critically, how to handle the potential for cross-subsidization between regulated power businesses and unregulated communications businesses remain up in the air."

Copps asked, "Is it right to allow electricity rate players to pay higher bills every month to subsidize an electric company's foray into broadband?"

FERC Commissioner Nora Mead Brownell, who, along with Wood, attended the FCC meeting, praised BPL as the vanguard of new technologies that will ride over the nation's power grid.

"The vast majority of today's power system features technology that reached its zenith 50 years ago. Broadband over power line services will empower customers while improving grid reliability and security," Brownell said. "It illustrates how investing in our electricity delivery system will deliver tangible customer and economic benefits."

---

quote:

---

FCC adopts rules for broadband over power lines

Patrick Mannion
Oct 14, 2004 (1:10 PM)
URL: http://www.commsdesign.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=49901747

MANHASSET, N.Y. — The Federal Communications Commission voted Thursday (Oct. 14) to modified its rules to open the door to the widespread deployment of broadband access over power lines. The action is designed to both foster broadband penetration and increase competition while enhancing management of the national power grid.

As a result of the ruling, power utilities can now provide broadband to their customers, competing with traditional last-mile-access schemes such as DSL and cable as well as newer options such as meshed Wi-Fi networks and upcoming WiMax deployments. The facilities can also improve management through faster feedback and advanced power-grid management.

Providing broadband over power lines (BPL) is an attractive broadband scheme because power lines reach every home. In addition, the distribution of broadband to home would be simplified since users need only a single device plugged into a socket to obtain broadband access.

"We all know by now that our country is now number 11 in broadband penetration," said Commissioner Michael J. Copps in a statement following the issuance of the R&O. "That's pretty hard to take."

The FCC approved its report and order despite objections from licensed wireless users such as cellular and ham radio operators who consider BPL to be a serious contributor to interference. While the rules include specific steps to address concerns, including requiring rapid resolution of complaints and an adaptive approach to deployment, Copps remained wary. Copps the new rules "dodged the hardest BPL questions," that include universal service, disabilities access, E911, pole attachments, competition protections and "critically, how to handle the potential for cross-subsidization between regulated power businesses and unregulated communications businesses remain up in the air."

While BPL systems have been deployed and are undergoing testing, issues still remain about the best way to avoid interference with existing services. The abililty of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing to drop carriers and hence avoid certain bands makes it a promising technology.

Other issues include safely coupling broadband data from the medium-voltage distribution lines to the low-voltage lines to the home. Schemes to overcome this include hanging a wireless box off the utility pole to provide wireless access to multiple subscribers.

---

 

---

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 10-18-2004, 01:53 PM:
 
Even in a country as small as Britain this is potentially excellent news. The telephone line-based ADSL system we have can only serve places up to 6km from the exchange (and even then it's only recently been extended from 3km), with the result that around a quarter of the population simply can't get broadband. This includes a friend of mine who lives in a village in the Vale of York, despite the fact that he's only 13 miles from a city of half a million inhabitants.

That having been said, one potential drawback of broadband over power lines is that it could disrupt a proposed digital replacement for short wave radio - Story here (link to BBC News Online report that broadband through power lines could disrupt the proposed 'Digital Radio Mondiale' replacement for short wave analogue international public service broadcasting).
 

---

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 10-18-2004, 02:03 PM:
 
If it is added competition that will help lower my DSL bill, then that's great.

As far as emerging broadband standards go, I think "WiMax" is going to have an even greater impact. The 802.16 wireless standard, in its latest form, allows for up to 70 million bits per second data transfer. The end user can receive the signal up to 30 miles away from the tower. This may be the one thing that finally connects a lot of people in rural areas impossible to service by hard wired DSL/Cable methods. The data transfer rate of WiMax has potential to far outdo the best offerings of Cable and certainly DSL.

Intel, in spite of its woes (cancelling the 4GHz PentiumIV and pushing back release schedules of other chips) seems on track to have a WiMax "system on chip" process to be available to install into notebook computers and other appliances by mid to end of 2005.

I also believe WiMax may quickly replace many of the commercial efforts of installing WiFi hotspots in hotels, restaurants, rest stops, etc. At the very least, I would expect WiMax to replace the pay version WiFi hotspots. SBC announced they would install thousands of WiFi hotspots in many places, such as McDonalds locations and UPS stores. Existing SBC/Yahoo! DSL customers would pay $1.99 per month to access the hot spots. That may be nice in the short term. But those hot spots may not be needed if you can access your WiMax ISP account almost anywhere. Once the 802.16 and 802.20 standards are fully implemented, that may be the case.
 

---

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 10-18-2004, 02:22 PM:
 
This isn't quite as good as it sounds--there are many concerns over the possibility that IP-over-power-lines schemes may cause serious RF interference problems. (i.e. no free lunch)
 

---

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 10-18-2004, 05:05 PM:
 
After reading the reports of interference with other means of radio transmission, I'm not sure I would approve of the BPL method. One aspect of it that seemed kind of promising would be a limited implementation of it on the end user level. I think it was a Wired Magazine article that said the electrical wiring in one's house could be used as an antennae to receive broadband signals and then pass to any computer in the house.

Still, I think wireless is the way to go. The 802.11b/g standards are already very popular for home/office wireless networking. The 802.11n standard is fixing to be launched, which will cover greater distances. Then there's WiMax.

The wireless method would allow numerous competitors to put up their own towers and compete for customers in the same market. That model is not much different from what exists for cellphone customers today, with the exception that WiMax providers will probably have to offer a competitive, flat monthly access fee rather than charge users a ton of money for the amount of "minutes" they use.

With Cable/DSL service, and even the BPL idea, you're stuck with one given provider for whatever type of method you are using. Wireless providers will have the advantage in that they don't have to lay down any physical lines for that "last mile" to each customer's house.
 

---

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 10-18-2004, 05:23 PM:
 
BPL would only mean more trouble receiving my HDTV transmissions. Screw that.
 

---

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 10-18-2004, 07:11 PM:
 
Wireless technologies will never become the mainstream broadband method. The cost per new customer is way too high when site surveys and installation is factored in.

The limited bandwidth is also a major problem. 70 megabits per sector panel / etc is way too little to be cost effective.

Startup and expansion cost are, not unlike other technologies, very high. However they are much, much, much higher per reachable customer.

The only places that can cost effectively support a wireless internet presence are highly populated areas which about 150% of the time are covered by at least one, and usually two, other competing, faster, and more reliable, technologies.

As for BPL... we had some of the equipment in the labs around here for awhile... the amount of junk RF noise generated is frightening. Although, the transmitters self powering themselves via induction is pretty cool.
 

---

Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 10-18-2004, 07:27 PM:
 
Daryl and Scott are right on target!

Here in SoCal, for the last umpteen years we have had the power company (SCE) sending Air-conditioner/Cloths Dryer/etc shutdown commands over the power lines (Via a power-company-installed "black box"). IF you signed up for the "service" you got a BIG discount in your billing rate. It is strictly voluntary.

The premise was they could cut you off (of only those appliances) during periods of very high power demands.

(Yeah, like I'm REALLY interested in sweating my ass off with NO A/C cuz everyone else demands A/C?) HA!

To me, it was just ANOTHER excuse for "big brother" to persuade the general public to support a false sense of "Green Power" by having the big corps NOT have to meet customer demands.

A bunch of BS!

Now, as Brad would ask me, where did I put my "calm-down" pills...???

>>> Phil
 

---

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 10-18-2004, 08:53 PM:
 
Big discount, eh?

Is it actually a bi-directional system where the device reports load back to the utility company, or does it just accept the commands?

i.e. Is there any reason you have to leave the thing connected? Or does it even require a minimum load for them not to be suspicious? Hey, look, my disco ball stopped spinning... must be power saving time!
 

---

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 10-18-2004, 08:58 PM:
 
Phil's too honest to cheat. And too busy with those Hollywood street kidz.
 

---

Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 10-18-2004, 09:00 PM:
 
Daryl, I really don't know.

When I moved into a newly-purchased house in Simi Valley CA back in 1994, it was a device already attached to the A/C I inquired about.

Needless to say, after finding out about it, I removed it...so I really have no clue.

BTW: Leave my disco balls alone!

(Yeah Steve... I'm sure there are many in Chicago that could use your support and help... $$$ and/or time too...)

>>> Phil
 

---

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 10-18-2004, 09:14 PM:
 
Steve's too busy chasing young'ins on internet forums.
 

---

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 10-18-2004, 09:31 PM:
 
Nevada Power does the same thing here (load management, not chasing jail bait ), but it's by RF and cuts off only the central A/C. The cutoff is only for 10 minutes or so each hour during peak times. Even with our afternoon temps in the 110s, being without A/C for such a short time goes unnoticed.

Noise on the power lines and goofy power factors are already issues what with all the switching power supplies out there these days. BPL will make things even worse.
 

---

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 10-19-2004, 03:45 AM:
 

quote: Daryl, O'Shea

---

Steve's too busy chasing young'ins on internet forums.

---

He's a been busy chasing young'ins since I've known him. Nothing wrong with that as long as they're not too young'in. Steve is growing near that 50 mark as fast as I am ya know.....

Mark
 

---

Posted by Jeff Stricker (Member # 224) on 10-19-2004, 07:16 AM:
 
Most power companies have their hands full just keeping the juice on! They don't have any expertise in the RF field and, believe me, they're gonna need it if they venture into this quagmire! There's serious interference issues to FCC licensed radio services including amateur, emergency services, and even shortwave broadcasting. By the way, there's NO protection required if the system RECEIVES interference from these services. You're just out of luck if you modem goes numb! This is basically flawed technology that won't stand up to real world RF conditions. I spent the last 10 years of my working life in the RFI (radio freq inerference) EMI (electromagnetic interference) business.
 

---

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 10-19-2004, 02:04 PM:
 
This is just RF being carried on unshielded wires. I don't see how it wouldn't cause interference if the same frequencies are used as over the air. So why not just broadcast it? Do these signals get past transformers or does each one require special attention to get the signal around it?

No, Mark, not quite as fast as you. I stopped at 39 like Jack Benny.
 

---

Posted by Gordon Bachlund (Member # 124) on 10-21-2004, 09:59 AM:
 
Most electrical transmission lines are constructed with a grounded "static wire" above the power conductors to afford a degree of lightning protection. In recent years, a configuration known as OPGW (optical power ground wire) has been employed that integrates fiber optic lines bundled within the electrically-conductive ground wire. Up to now, utilities have used these fiber optic lines for control and monitoring purposes, but there is no reason why they couldn't be used for commercial purposes as well. After all, the old Sprint system evolved from a microwave comm system developed by a railroad company.

"The time they are a-changing...."
 

---

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 10-21-2004, 02:58 PM:
 
Nearly all but the smallest electrical utility companies in Ontario do just that Gordon.

Most of the time they're far better to deal with than any telco.
 

---

Posted by Rick Raskin (Member # 1561) on 10-21-2004, 04:14 PM:
 
The real deal for the telcos is fiber in the loop (FITL) and an IP core. DSL isn't supposed to last forever but was intended as a stepping stone towards true broadband. As for BPL, it is alive here in Manassas, VA and being used by some businesses. My local HAM buddy complains of interference on some of the HAM bands but it appears the FCC isn't giving that much priority. My thoughts align with earlier comments about getting into the RFI quagmire. They are staring into a can of snakes and have no idea just how deep it is. After spending many years in telco broadband I can speak to the fact that they will encounter problems they can't even imagine.
 

---

Posted by Rick Raskin (Member # 1561) on 10-22-2004, 07:17 AM:
 
This was in our home town paper this morning:

Hams display interference from BPL

By SARI KRIEGER
skrieger@manassasjm.com
Friday, October 22, 2004

When Federal Communications Commission officials came to Manassas last week, they saw a resident make a phone call using the city's Broadband over Power Line technology.
The Oaks of Wellington retirement community resident relied solely on that telephone for his land-line use and needing no telephone line. But in an emergency, some say that resident may not be able to make a call.
Manassas became the first American locality to implement BPL citywide last year. By plugging a modem into any city electrical outlet, subscribers can gain high-speed Internet access starting at $27 per month, approximately half of what cable and DSL providers charge.
Many short wave radio users, including amateur radio users, or "hams," have opposed this technology for its interference. BPL radiates off the power lines and can make certain short wave radio frequencies inaudible. Radio frequencies can be compared to television channels.
Hams use amateur radios to communicate with other users around the world. Other short wave radio uses include citizen's band radios, foreign broadcasts and emergency communications radios used by some government agencies.
The frequencies used by hams in Manassas have been "notched," or removed from use by BPL, in some neighborhoods.
The FCC adopted rules for BPL last week, including some provisions to deal with interference.
Hams and others still worry, not only for their technology, but for people relying on BPL.
The Ole Virginia Hams, a local amateur radio club, has been watching the issue in Manassas. Member Bob Zaepfel signed up for BPL and acts as a liaison for the club concerning BPL issues. The city notched outside his Longstreet Drive house, so he can use his ham radio without interference or static.
Zaepfel demonstrated Wednesday how quickly BPL allows him to download a large file. But when OVH members Don "Butch" Blasdell or George Tarnovsky used their ham radios in a truck outside Zaepfel's house, the file stopped downloading. It resumed when the ham stopped transmitting.
Manassas Utilities Department Director Allen Todd, also a ham radio user, hadn't heard of any complaints in Manassas or nationally about this, he said.
"Once we see what the problem may be, I'm sure we can take some kind of action to prevent that from reoccurring," Todd said.
An amateur radio user would not realize he or she is stopping a neighbor's BPL use, the OVH members said.
"I could knock out this entire neighborhood," Zaepfel said. "It's one of the aspects of this situation they don't want to talk about."
By adding equipment to the current power grid, the city has outfitted approximately 3,000 to 4,000 city houses with BPL technology. Approximately 900 people have signed up for the service.
The hams worry more about what will happen when the entire city and other jurisdictions begin using BPL.
Although the city notched the ham frequencies, it didn't notch other short wave frequencies. A radio station from Canada was barely audible on the radio in Tarnovsky's truck.
The city can continue to notch out frequencies, but as more and more people subscribe to BPL, not enough frequencies will remain, the hams said.
Zaepfel compared it to narrowing a water pipe, which makes the water flow through slower.
"If you notch out enough of your frequencies, you won't have enough bandwidth for your users," Zaepfel said. "It will be slow as molasses."
But the city can notch for individual homes and not decrease bandwidth for other city areas, Todd said.
"You don't do the whole city," Todd said. "If one customer had an issue because that's the station they like to listen to, we can go out and notch their house and not affect other people. And we can do that from the office."
Driving in his truck on Shannon Lane in Manassas, where ham frequencies haven't been notched, Tarnovsky explained the static heard on his radio. BPL caused this static, which was 11 times more noisy than normal, he said.
The radio sounded mostly static-free after driving away.
While some static can be blamed on the atmosphere and sun spots, that pales in comparison to BPL noise, Tarnovsky said.
Tarnovsky posted a recording of the noise on his Web site at
http://www.target-eng.com/ bpl/bpl.htm.
But what if utilities or companies implementing BPL in other areas aren't as accommodating as the Manassas Utilities Department, hams wonder.
Amateur radios are a licensed use with the FCC, and therefore can not be interfered with in general. The FCC's recent ruling on BPL required the Internet technology to stay away from frequencies used by government for public safety, but the language about ham radio and other uses was not as stringent.
The Manassas BPL system can monitor power outages, allow security cameras on lamp posts and help with city traffic lights.
If the transmission outside Zaepfel's house stops his download, the hams wonder if a ham using a mobile radio in his vehicle could be able to stop city traffic lights too?
In response to a question about BPL's potential to interfere with United States Coast Guard communications, Zaepfel said a former OVH member arranged for a United States Navy official to visit Manassas next week to check on the BPL system's interference.
He declined to name the official or give his contact information for comment.
Most hams have "signed off" on the Manassas project, Power line industry representative Alan Shark wrote to this newspaper:
"While they might like to think we've been placated, they're still interfering," Zaepfel said.
Zaepfel believes a solution can be reached, and prefers not to just argue.
But the hams plan to continue monitoring the situation and file a complaint with the FCC and the city if necessary.
Manassas could have simply chosen a different BPL system, using higher frequencies, which may even work better, Tarnovsky said.
"If [BPL] was a viable service, it would be awesome," Tarnovsky said. "But down at the low bands, that's just a poor choice, especially when other means are available."
When Manassas chose the current system, it looked for an FCC compliant, deployable system, Todd said. This system works, he said.
"Whatever issues that may develop concerning short wave, amateur radios or any other situation may come, we will comply with the [FCC] order," Todd said. "And we think our system will do that."
 

---

Posted by Jeff Stricker (Member # 224) on 10-23-2004, 07:17 AM:
 
The FCC has shut down several BPL system trials for interference issues that weren't resolved. That sad part of all this is the FCC expects this service(unliscensed)to coexist with other liscensed services operaing on the same frequencies. What a lot of folks don't realize is that the system not only generates interference, but is vulnerable to transmissions from the services it is "coexisitng" with. There's gonna be a lot of unhappy folks with numb or slow modems. I wouldn't spend my money on this type of BB service!
 

---