A two-pin plug and you have broadband
* Broadband-over-powerline technology
By Linda
Musthaler, Network
World, 07/25/05
There has been a flurry of activity in the past year
in the area of broadband-over-powerline technology. BPL
is about a 10-year old technology that is still in its
infancy. The downturn in the energy industry in 2001
held up progress, but that's all changing now as major
players are getting their feet wet in this nascent
industry; even the FCC has given its blessings to
continue to try it out. Pilot programs are taking place
around the country. Could it be that your next network
will plug into an ordinary electrical wall outlet?
BPL uses the country's existing electrical power grid
to deliver high-speed broadband communications to
consumers. If the technology can overcome a few
technical hurdles, it could be a viable alternative to
cable and DSL access to the Internet from homes. And
given that the electrical power grid reaches nearly
every home in America, even rural customers who can't
get cable or DSL service could still get broadband
access via BPL.
Sounds like a dream, doesn't it? An ordinary
electrical outlet equipped with a BPL modem delivers
your data, voice and video communications - at a rate
that is faster than DSL and cable today. The market
potential is so huge that companies like AT&T, IBM,
Cisco, Mitsubishi, Motorola, Google and many of the
major power companies in the country have invested in
the technology and trial programs.
Recently, my own firm Currid & Company
participated in a BPL demonstration sponsored by
CenterPoint Energy of Houston. CenterPoint and IBM just
announced a joint effort to explore the uses of the
technology, especially for the utility industry. In
addition, CenterPoint has opened a BPL technology center
in Houston, as well as launched a pilot program to a
limited number of homes in its hometown. You can read
more about the IBM/CenterPoint joint effort here: http://www.networkworld.com/news/2005/071105-ibm-bpl.html?rl
The Wall Street Journal recently reported that a
group led by Google, Hearst Communications and Goldman
Sachs invested $100 million in a company called Current
Communications Group. Current reports the funds will be
used for capital and operating expenses in the U.S. and
abroad as it begins to rollout BPL service to consumers.
The FCC is enthralled with the technology and
supports further development. There are a few
glitches to be worked out, however. Access BPL - signals
that travel through overhead and underground power lines
- emits low-level radio communication signals that can
interfere with licensed radio services, such as amateur
radio and some emergency services communications. What's
more, in-house BPL - signals that travel within the home
- can be relatively slow due to older wiring that can't
sustain the high broadband throughput once the signals
enter the home. In some cases, service is slower than
DSL or cable inside the house.
Moshen Kavehrad, professor of electrical engineering
at Penn State University and director of the Center for
Information and Communications Technology Research, led
a team of Penn State engineers that developed a new
model for high speed data transmission via overhead
power lines. Kavehrad predicts that the
engineering issues to make BPL a technical alternative
to DSL and cable will be solved. Whether it will be an
economical alternative remains to be seen since there
are interference issues that have to be overcome.
According to Kavehrad, "If you condition those power
lines properly, they're an omni-present national
treasure waiting to be tapped for broadband Internet
service delivery, especially in rural areas where cable
or DSL are unavailable."
You can read more about the Penn State project here:
http://live.psu.edu/story/9603
Not everyone is excited about the prospect of BPL
becoming a commercial venture. The American Radio
Relay League (ARRL) is not willing to gloss over the
interference issue. This organization filed extensive
technical comments with the FCC following an April 2003
notice of inquiry that sought information and data on
the relevant technology. Since BPL is regulated by the
FCC, the ARRL is urging extreme caution - if not an
outright halt - in the implementation of BPL nationwide.
ARRL cites extensive studies and trials of BPL in Europe
and Japan that resulted in numerous interference
complaints.
With huge financial investments pouring into this
technology, as well as the backing of both technology
and power companies, there's little doubt that the
numerous studies and trials in the U.S. will lead to at
least limited implementation, and potentially to
ubiquitous service throughout the country someday.
For now, the power companies are looking at this
technology in terms of benefits to their own industry,
including the ability to cheaply monitor and control
remote utility facilities or read power meters.
Nevertheless, BPL is one hot technology to watch for
further developments.
For more about BPL, check out these links below:
Double duty for power lines
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/printstory.mpl/tech/news/3259278
Broadband Over Power Line (Federal Communications
Commission)
http://www.fcc.gov/commissioners/abernathy/news/bpl.html
Web coming to electrical outlets
http://money.cnn.com/2004/10/15/technology/web_outlet/
Broadband over power line and amateur radio
http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/
Google, others invest in broadband-over-powerline
firm
IDG News Service, 07/07/05
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2005/070705-google-bpl.html?rl
Connecting with BPL
NetworkWorld.com,
01/31/05
http://www.networkworld.com/columnists/2005/013105nutter.html?rl
Linda Musthaler is vice president of Currid &
Company. You can write to her at mailto:Linda.Musthaler@currid.com
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