dslreports logo
 story category
Electro-High Speed
BPL technology coming soon?

Lost among the hooplah concerning the FCC's VoIP decision yesterday was the fact the agency green-lighted controversial broadband via-powerline technology. FCC head Michael Powell says the technology has the potential to be "the great broadband hope for a good part of rural America". The agency, to the dismay of military, emergency, and hobbyist radio operators, did not reduce the permissible emission interference limits under Part 15 guidelines.

Instead, the FCC will rely on providers applying "adaptive interference mitigation techniques" in regions impacted by interference (FCC press releases and commissioner comments available at the FCC website).

Naturally the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), a group representing radio hobbyists that has been vocal on the issue, was less than enthused. "I had hoped the FCC would have shown a greater depth of understanding of the issue," opines League President Jim Haynie.

Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein played the middle. "We need to be mindful of harmful interference, but we can’t let unsupported claims stand in the way of this kind of innovation." The word "innovation" could likely be replaced with the word "profit" by many critics.

BPL's "unsupported" noise, tracked by the ARRL and others, has often proved to be 10,000 times higher than acceptable levels in some world-wide trials. In some cases the interference has been enough to disable 20-meter monobanders on high-rise buildings, or - in one case in Austria - disable Red Cross communications during an emergency disaster response drill.

While a third major player in the broadband industry would likely benefit consumers, there is little doubt further study is needed before BPL sees mainstream adoption.

Perhaps having a grumpy day, FCC Commissioner Copps (who was the lone dissenter in yesterday's VoIP ruling as well) was the only FCC member to voice serious concerns about the technology, arguing the FCC was "dodging" some of the harder questions about the technology. "Is it right to allow electric ratepayers to pay higher bills every month to subsidize an electric company’s foray into broadband?" Copps asked.

The technology now moves on to the next phase, a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM), which will include further testing of the technology. After the NPRM, the technology will shift from scattered trials to broad scale adoption and your electrical outlet.

Most recommended from 122 comments



Suntop
Wolfrider Elf
Premium Member
join:2000-03-23
Fairfield, MT
·3Rivers Communic..
·T-Mobile
Netgear R6400
Netgear WNR1000
Netgear WNDR3400

2 edits

2 recommendations

Suntop

Premium Member

I truely hope you all are happy

I hope those who get it don't have the old 49 MHZ phones or have 49 MHZ walkie talkies, or have R/C toys, or pick up channels 2-5 off the air, or use CB radio or listen to shortwave because BPL is going to destroy it. I am very very disappointed in the FCC. Micheal Powell, Kathrine, and others at the FCC have been given a lot of money to say "OK" to it. (Sarcasm) Well Thanks a lot FCC you just destroyed the HF spectrum. And remember those who want BPL you will not be able to use any of the above. And when someone uses a CB or Ham radio it will interfere with your internet connection. And there is nothing you can do about it. You can complain but the FCC will say "it is a part 15 device we cannot help you." Part 15 devices must accept interference and must not cause interference to licensed services or part 95 services.

Sure they can NOTCH out the various bands but that will degrade the service.

I am sorry folks but BPL is a joke. No matter what you say not matter how you will hate Ham Operators, CB Radio users, and other users of the frequencies between 2mhz to 80 mhz BPL will have zero protection from anything that is in there. I can see a lot of the BPL users try to tear down peoples antennas because they cant get their mail or what ever.

If you get it and you have a CB-er or a Ham near you except it to drop.

It has been proven that 10 watts from a ham transmitter or as little as 4 watts from a CB radio can kill BPL. So I am waiting for when everyone gets it then complains to the FCC then watch it be dropped like a hot potato.

In my mind the FCC has been greased by the greedy corporations (Power and BPL Modem makers) so I have zero faith in the FCC for protection of the Licensed services.

We will see when there is a emergency and the Red Cross cannot use any HF or the military cannot communicate or ARES/RACES (Amateur radio for those who are clueless as to that org) cannot use the HF band for emergency communications because BPL noise wipes out the receivers of the hams trying to do whatever emergency. (flood fire anything they get involved in) Homeland security will too also suffer the effects of BPL

BPL is not a good IDEA unless they go up into the 5ghz frequencies or finds some way to use Spread Spectrum (Which will be a good way to completely eliminate interference)