Power Line Internet Could Crush Cable, DSL

A new model for high-speed broadband transmissions over overhead power lines estimates that at full handling capacity they can provide bit rates that far exceed DSL or cable over similar spans.

So-called broadband power line trials are underway in some parts of the US but currently run at DSL-comparable speeds of two to three megabits per second.

Researchers at Pennsylvania State University say that they've run a computer simulation showing that under ideal conditions the maximum bit rate is close to a gigabit per second per kilometer on an overhead, medium voltage, unshielded US power line properly conditioned through impedance matching.

Shared by a half-dozen homes in a neighborhood, the gigabit can provide rates in the hundreds of megabits per second range, says researcher Mohsen Kavehrad, much higher than DSL and cable.

"If you condition those power lines properly, they're an omnipresent national treasure waiting to be tapped for broadband Internet service delivery, especially in rural areas where cable or DSL are unavailable," says Kavehrad.

Kavehrad predicts that engineering issues to making power line Internet an alternative to DSL and cable will be solved. However, it may still not be an economical alternative because there are interference issues that need to be overcome.

The researchers presented their findings in Las Vegas, Nevada at the IEEE Consumer Communications & Networking Conference.