Sunday, April 30, 2006
SAUDI ARABIA plans to offer BROADBAND over POWER LINES later this year 2006 !!!
Lulwa Shalhoub, Arab News
Saturday, 29, April, 2006
Friday, April 28, 2006
San Diego Gas & Electric is conducting the only Broadband over Power Line (BPL) trial in the state of CALIFORNIA.!!!
``The commission's actions create a very favorable climate for the development of BPL in California,'' said SDG&E spokesman Eddie Van Herik.
~~~~~
fyi: AMBIENT ENTERS CALIFORNIA MARKET
SDG&E Selects Ambient to Assess BPL Technology
Boston, MA, July 21, 2005
======
Regulators ease the way for broadband over power lines
By Jessie Seyfer
Mercury News
Posted on Fri, Apr. 28, 2006
Three main wires feed into most California homes -- cable, phone and electricity.
While cable and phone lines have brought the Internet to residents for years, on Thursday state regulators cleared a path for electrical lines to do the same one day.
Broadband over power lines, or BPL, is a fledgling technology that sends data over wires without interfering with electricity flows. But BPL presents a regulatory dilemma as it's both an electrical and a communications service. With its legal status unclear, companies have been slow to develop BPL services.
So to spur BPL on, the California Public Utilities Commission voted Thursday to reduce the number of regulatory hurdles companies must clear to experiment with the technology.
``BPL can provide Californians with a new broadband pipe to the home,'' said Commissioner Rachelle Chong, who wrote the new guidelines, which were adopted by a 4-1 vote. ``More broadband competition will bring benefits to Californians. Thus, this . . . decision is pro-consumer in the most fundamental ways. It will introduce a new competitor, which in turns helps drive broadband prices down.''
The dissenter was Commissioner Geoffrey Brown, who favored more stringent regulations.
Utility companies are the gatekeepers for any experiments that BPL companies conduct on their lines. Companies that run tests do not necessarily have to be utilities. A broadband provider -- such as the Google-backed Current Communications Group, of Maryland -- could test a BPL service.
The rules adopted Thursday require less PUC oversight for agreements that BPL companies strike with utilities to access their power lines.
If a utility company decides to conduct its own BPL trials, the guidelines call for such experiments not to be funded with money collected from utility rate-payers.
The rules acknowledge that BPL is in such an early stage of development that it wouldn't be fair for ratepayers to fund something so unproven.
`Favorable climate'
Utility companies praised the decision.
``We think it does a good job of helping encourage utility participation in BPL,'' said John Nelson, a spokesman for PG&E, which is not currently conducting any trials but is interested in the technology.
San Diego Gas & Electric is conducting the only BPL trial in the state.
``The commission's actions create a very favorable climate for the development of BPL in California,'' said SDG&E spokesman Eddie Van Herik.
Cable and phone companies could suffer if a technology like BPL succeeds, but AT&T spokesman John Britton said his company felt it was serving customers well.
``AT&T shares the commission's goal of expanding broadband access and consumer choice,'' he said. ``Customers tell us they're very satisfied with AT&T-Yahoo Internet service.''
Comcast spokesman Andrew Johnson said, ``Obviously this is a very crowded field with lots of competitors. This would just be one more competitor.''
Yet for all its promise, BPL presents some major technological problems.
For one thing, it's slow. Present technology allows it to run about as fast as DSL at its slowest, said Juan Fernandez, an analyst with Gartner. High-end DSL and cable services are five to eight times faster.
As part of the commission's ruling, a BPL company would be responsible for costs associated with adding equipment to poles.
BPL Internet signals take the form of radio pulses that piggyback on the electrical wires. The radio pulses leak off the power lines and interfere with nearby radio signals.
Rural areas
It's also unlikely that BPL will end up being the solution to providing broadband to communities where there's no DSL or cable-modem service. That's because it's not as simple as plugging a computer into the socket, Fernandez said. To get BPL out to rural areas, a significant amount of equipment needs to be installed on the lines.
``You need some subscriber density to make it cost-effective,'' he said. ``It's not really the kind of thing for farms.''
from:
http://www.siliconvalley.com
LOS ANGELES TIMES: PUC Approves Power Lines for Net Access
By James S. Granelli, Times Staff Writer
April 28, 2006
Despite protests from consumer advocates, state regulators on Thursday approved a plan allowing power utilities to offer high-speed Internet connections over electricity lines.
In a 4-1 vote, the Public Utilities Commission granted utilities the authority to establish subsidiary companies for delivering broadband over power line, or BPL, and the option of transferring free the use of the power grid to those affiliates.
"We do this because of our hope that BPL will bring valuable, additional competition to the California broadband market," said Commissioner Rachelle Chong, who sponsored the proposal.
"As the home of Silicon Valley, we want to be a broadband leader in the nation."
The technology, working in some small areas of the country but not yet in any mass market, has been "on the horizon of widespread U.S. adoption for some time," said Jorge Blasco, chief executive of Design of Systems on Silicon, a Spanish company that makes the gear that supports power-line broadband. The PUC's vote "could be a catalyst for delivering high-speed, cost-effective access to consumers."
But Commissioner Geoffrey F. Brown, whose alternative plan was shot down, argued that Chong's proposal would be "giving away an asset in perpetuity." Brown said that because the lines were built with ratepayer money, electricity customers should share in the benefits.
Chong's proposal gives utilities the option of turning over use of the lines free or charging access fees, profit from which would be split with ratepayers.
Only San Diego Gas & Electric Co., a unit of Sempra Energy, has said it would give free access to a subsidiary. Southern California Edison Co. and Pacific Gas & Electric Co. have said they would prefer a business model in which they charge a provider of broadband over power line for using the lines.
Consumer advocates chafed over Chong's views.
"This commission took the laudable objective of encouraging more high-speed Internet competitors and undermined it with a ham-handed, ideology-blinded giveaway to Sempra Energy," said Michael Shames, executive director of the Utility Consumers' Action Network.
Bill Nusbaum, senior attorney for the Utility Reform Network, said the agency had a "warped" perspective if it believed it created a situation that allowed utilities to enter a risky business while protecting utility customers from any downside.
Commissioners are "busy patting themselves on the back for being such 'enlightened' regulators when all they have done is to continue what this commission is so good at — corporate giveaways," he said.
A San Diego Gas & Electric spokesman said the commission's actions "create a very favorable climate for the development of BPL systems." The company will continue testing new gear "to determine its safety and reliability on our system."
Edison, a unit of Edison International, said the new rules would give it the framework for discussions with power-line broadband providers. And Pacific Gas & Electric, a unit of PG&E Corp., said the decision would spur broadband services by "removing unnecessary regulatory obstacles and uncertainty."
Both had opposed an earlier version of Chong's proposal that would have prohibited utilities from charging for access to the power grid.
=====
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
Thursday, April 27, 2006
CALIFORNIA PUC Approved Broadband over Power Lines
fyi Last year: (SDG&E) San Diego Gas & Electric Company Selects Ambient Corporation to Assess BPL Technology
Reuters Key Development - 21 Jul 2005
===================================
California OKs power-line broadband tests !!!
Updated: 7:02 p.m. ET April 27, 2006
SAN FRANCISCO - The California Public Utilities Commission approved a plan Thursday allowing providers of high-speed Internet services to test electricity lines to deliver online access throughout the state.
CPUC commissioner Rachelle Chong, who drafted the plan, said broadband over power lines, or BPL, could become a new competitor to Internet services delivered via telephone, cable and satellites and help reduce prices for consumers.
BPL uses existing utility lines delivering power to neighborhoods to carry broadband signals into homes.
It has been touted by equipment makers and regulators as a possible competitor to cable and telecommunications services, which handle almost all of the roughly 40 million U.S. residential broadband connections.
BPL technology also could allow utilities to develop so-called smart grid applications to more actively monitor and manage the distribution of electricity, said Chong, a former member of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission.
Until recently, U.S. utilities interested in BPL have faced various financial and technical problems. The signals that carry data over electrical lines can cause interference with radio equipment and can travel only a short distance before weakening, requiring repeaters in many areas.
Nevertheless, utilities such as TXU Corp. , Texas’s largest utility, and Cinergy Corp. in Ohio are testing the service with privately held BPL provider Current Communications Group, of Germantown, Maryland.
The company also is working on early trials with two California utilities — Edison International’s Southern California Edison subsidiary and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, a municipally-owned utility.
Those projects involve both smart grid applications and BPL Internet services to homes, said Jim Dondero, vice president of marketing at Current Communications.
The regulatory commission adopted guidelines for electric utilities and companies that wish to develop and test projects in California.
The commission turned down an alternative plan that proposed some slightly different regulations.
Among the adopted guidelines, electric utility affiliates and other developers can invest in and operate BPL systems.
Utility affiliates would have to follow CPUC rules for transactions between a utility and a BPL affiliate to protect against cross-subsidies, the commission said.
Companies installing BPL equipment on utility poles also would have to pay a fee for the attachments.
from:
http://msnbc.msn.com
Ambient Corporation`s patent for Inductive coupler for power line communications is approved by the U.S. Patent and Trademark office !!!
United States Patent Application 20060087382
Kind Code A1
Cern; Yehuda
April 27, 2006
Abstract
There is provided an inductive coupler for coupling a data signal to a power line. The inductive coupler includes a split magnetic core having an aperture formed by an upper magnetic core and a lower magnetic core. The aperture permits the power line to pass therethrough as a primary winding, the upper magnetic core is for making electrical contact with an outer surface of the power line, and the lower magnetic core makes electrical contact with the upper magnetic core.
more... new AMBIENT BPL patent: Filter for segmenting power lines for communications
United States Patent 7,005,943
February 28, 2006
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
read: California PUC approves BPL rules
Brown vies to protect BPL’s
value for California
BPL is in everyone’s best interest and no one in the California PUC disputes that, utility Commissioner Geoffrey Brown’s telecom advisor Aram Shumavon told us last week...
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
value for California
BPL is in everyone’s best interest and no one in the California PUC disputes that, utility Commissioner Geoffrey Brown’s telecom advisor Aram Shumavon told us last week...
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
UTC BPL Symposium:--- Deployment of Broadband over Power Line Communications --- MAY 21-24,2006, Tampa,FL
The Broadband over Power Line Symposium will focus on the latest on how electric utilities of all sizes can benefit from BPL advances. Regardless of whether you are about to deploy BPL or are just beginning to think about it, this Symposium is a must-attend event.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Senator plans Net taxes but no Net neutrality
By Anne Broache
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
Published: April 25, 2006, 9:04 AM PDT
WASHINGTON--More Americans would be forced to pay taxes subsidizing broadband service in "unserved" locales, and cities would be free to go into the Wi-Fi business under an upcoming U.S. Senate bill.
Later this week, Sen. Gordon Smith, an Oregon Republican, plans to introduce a legislative package called the Broadband for America Act of 2006, he said Tuesday morning at a conference here hosted by the National Telecommunications CooperativeAssociation, which represents small and rural carriers.
Conspicuously absent from the bill, however, is any mention of Net neutrality, which refers to the idea of the federal government forcibly preventing broadband providers from favoring some Web sites or video streams' connection speeds over others. The concept has generated significant controversy in the House of Representatives' version of a telecommunications reform bill. The House Energy and Commerce Committee is scheduled to take up its own proposal again on Tuesday evening, with a vote expected later in the week.
A copy of the 41-page bill seen by CNET News.com is essentially a combination of existing proposals introduced by Smith and his colleagues on the Senate Commerce Committee. That committee's Republican chairman, Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska, has also been readying what Smith called "an even more comprehensive bill" intended to overhaul the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which has been criticized as outdated for failing to account for the Internet's vast new influence.
Smith's bill is not intended to rival Stevens' proposal, he said, but he hopes that its "targeted" nature will allow it to pass more speedily through committee and to the Senate floor. "The bigger it is, the more comprehensive it is, the more likely it is to get bogged down," he said.
As network operators roll out more advanced broadband services, particularly video, they've argued that they should be able to finance those efforts by charging bandwidth-hogging content providers extra fees for the privilege of faster transmission or other preferential treatment. Net neutrality supporters say they're concerned such a practice would amount to unprecedented Internet "gatekeeping" that could raise consumer costs and inhibit innovation, and they've called on Congress to legislate against it.
...more...
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
Published: April 25, 2006, 9:04 AM PDT
WASHINGTON--More Americans would be forced to pay taxes subsidizing broadband service in "unserved" locales, and cities would be free to go into the Wi-Fi business under an upcoming U.S. Senate bill.
Later this week, Sen. Gordon Smith, an Oregon Republican, plans to introduce a legislative package called the Broadband for America Act of 2006, he said Tuesday morning at a conference here hosted by the National Telecommunications CooperativeAssociation, which represents small and rural carriers.
Conspicuously absent from the bill, however, is any mention of Net neutrality, which refers to the idea of the federal government forcibly preventing broadband providers from favoring some Web sites or video streams' connection speeds over others. The concept has generated significant controversy in the House of Representatives' version of a telecommunications reform bill. The House Energy and Commerce Committee is scheduled to take up its own proposal again on Tuesday evening, with a vote expected later in the week.
A copy of the 41-page bill seen by CNET News.com is essentially a combination of existing proposals introduced by Smith and his colleagues on the Senate Commerce Committee. That committee's Republican chairman, Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska, has also been readying what Smith called "an even more comprehensive bill" intended to overhaul the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which has been criticized as outdated for failing to account for the Internet's vast new influence.
Smith's bill is not intended to rival Stevens' proposal, he said, but he hopes that its "targeted" nature will allow it to pass more speedily through committee and to the Senate floor. "The bigger it is, the more comprehensive it is, the more likely it is to get bogged down," he said.
As network operators roll out more advanced broadband services, particularly video, they've argued that they should be able to finance those efforts by charging bandwidth-hogging content providers extra fees for the privilege of faster transmission or other preferential treatment. Net neutrality supporters say they're concerned such a practice would amount to unprecedented Internet "gatekeeping" that could raise consumer costs and inhibit innovation, and they've called on Congress to legislate against it.
...more...
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
New York Lawmakers Discuss AMR Pilot Program
April 2006
Published by AMRA
Westchester County, N.Y., legislator Michael Kaplowitz, chairman of the county board’s Budge & Appropriations Committee, met last month with members of the New York state Public Service Commission to discuss implementing pilot programs for area utilities to install AMR.
Under the plan, New York State Electric & Gas and Con Edison would install smart meters in the homes of 50,000 customers.
According to Kaplowitz, the PSC is supportive of a pilot program initiating AMR rollout, but details have not yet been worked out. The lawmaker has also brought a resolution before the PSC calling for the utilities to approach smart metering more aggressively.
Last fall, Westchester County legislators moved to stop Con Edison to replace 300,000 meters with “dumb meters,” arguing that AMR would improve customers’ benefits.
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
Published by AMRA
Westchester County, N.Y., legislator Michael Kaplowitz, chairman of the county board’s Budge & Appropriations Committee, met last month with members of the New York state Public Service Commission to discuss implementing pilot programs for area utilities to install AMR.
Under the plan, New York State Electric & Gas and Con Edison would install smart meters in the homes of 50,000 customers.
According to Kaplowitz, the PSC is supportive of a pilot program initiating AMR rollout, but details have not yet been worked out. The lawmaker has also brought a resolution before the PSC calling for the utilities to approach smart metering more aggressively.
Last fall, Westchester County legislators moved to stop Con Edison to replace 300,000 meters with “dumb meters,” arguing that AMR would improve customers’ benefits.
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
SDG&E Files Updated Proposal for AMR Rollout
April 2006
Published by AMRA
In late March, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) filed an updated version of a plan that calls for the installation of advanced meters for all of its customers by 2010. SDG&E will replace all of the company’s electric meters, and tie its gas meters into the system. The proposal was filed with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).
AMR will allow the utility to make its metering operations more efficient and reliable, while proving customers with superior service, according to Anne S. Smith, senior vice president, customer services.
“These meters lay a foundation that provides benefits today and prepares SDG&E and its customers for the technology of tomorrow,” said Smith.
The shift to AMR is in line with the state of California’s energy policy goals and guidelines, which emphasize efficiency, demand-response and conservation.
“We believe our updated plan will provide our customers with added advantages over the original proposal,” said Smith.
The updated proposal replaces the original plan, which was filed with CPUC in March 2005. If the commission approves the proposal, AMR installation will begin by mid-2008. A series of field tests will begin soon to determine which specific AMR technologies will be used.
SDG&E serves 3.4 million customers through more than 2.1 million electric and gas meters.
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
Smart Grid Applications Shore Up BPL’s Value
By Betsy Loeff
AMRA News Writer
April 2006
Published by AMRA
AMRA News Writer
April 2006
Published by AMRA
Sunday, April 23, 2006
Fast Facts: "Soon, approximately 2 million consumers in Texas will have the option to purchase BPL technology services,
which will include not only high-speed Internet access, but also voice and television services."
===
Live Wires
April 2006 By Sherry Watkins
Power lines are starting to buzz with more than just electricity.
With broadband over power line (BPL) technology, voice and data traffic can travel through existing electricity infrastructures, providing power-packed, high-speed Internet access to consumers through every electrical outlet in their homes or businesses.
Soon, approximately 2 million consumers in Texas will have the option to purchase BPL technology services, which will include not only high-speed Internet access, but also voice and television services.
In December 2005, TXU Electric Delivery partnered with Current Communications Group in an agreement to deploy BPL technology throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area and other areas serviced by TXU, which delivers electricity to approximately 2.7 million customers of retail electric providers across parts of Texas.
The rollout is expected to begin in October 2006 and take three to four years to complete.
Over the next few months, Current and TXU will work out implementation details, including a starting point, although the metro area would provide a dense customer base for Current to initially offer broadband services.
"We won't be working in stages, we'll just start moving through the service territory as fast as we can with the crews Current hires and install in a continuous three- to four-year effort," said Steve Houle, vice president of technology for TXU Electric Delivery.
The partnership contains clearly defined roles: TXU is a Current customer using the company's BPL technology to monitor and control the electrical network, and read meters through an automated process. On the flip side, Current gains access to the power lines and the ability to commercialize broadband services through BPL technology.
Electrified Broadband
BPL technology involves changing digital signals generated by consumers into radio frequencies that traverse the same twisted pair copper wiring that delivers electricity. Inversely, for consumers to access the data traveling the wires, the radio signal is transformed back into a digital format appropriate for personal computers, voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) telephones or television cable.
Broadband signal transmission over twisted pair wiring is not new. For instance, phone companies provide DSL over twisted pair, installing a modem at the customer site to take the signal off the wire once the signal arrives.
"The innovation is not to put broadband signals on the copper pair, but to put them on the electric power grid without interfering with the electric power distribution, and therefore, have a joint use," said Houle.
To achieve joint operability, Current will install the necessary BPL equipment on TXU's electric grid. "The communications signal will be every place our electric facilities are without us having to do a thing," said Houle.
The equipment looks similar to the electric equipment already installed throughout the grid and includes a coupler, which enables broadband traffic over the medium-voltage primary lines; a backhaul point, which is the primary data router that connects the BPL system to the local point of presence (or Internet service provider); a bridge, which routes and controls data traffic and serves as a gateway to customers; and a network management system that enables TXU to monitor and control the BPL system, conduct automated provisioning processes and manage network information.
For Current's broadband service customers, the only device needed is a BPL modem from HomePlug Powerline Alliance Inc., which resembles a cell phone charger. The modem can be plugged into any outlet where BPL service is received and connects computers to the Internet via USB, Ethernet or 802.11 Wi-Fi technology. With the BPL modem, no installation or inside wiring is required.
"You don't need to have telephone or cable outlets if you have BPL because you can run both over the BPL system," said Jay Birnbaum, vice president and general counsel for Current Communications. "Unlike cable and DSL, it works at every outlet in the house. You can pick up the computer and the modem, and plug it into another wall in the house and you're ready to go -- you're not fettered to one location."
More Knowledge, More Power
Current's Smart Grid Services will provide TXU with enhanced service capabilities, which include the ability to monitor the electric distribution network remotely, to quickly resolve customer outages by identifying them early on, and to perform automated meter reading.
BPL technology allows TXU to see network status in real time through two-way communication -- a big advantage according to Houle. Without BPL, communication travels in one direction and TXU cannot receive automatic outage notifications. A customer must call in for TXU to know that a problem exists, and even then, isolating the issue requires employees to physically investigate the source of the problem. In addition, major blackouts can occur when electrical problems are left untended, which can cost the government and economy money.
"With BPL, we'll know when a piece of equipment is out before a customer calls in," he said, adding that TXU can then dispatch crews more effectively when a problem occurs.
TXU's electric meters can be managed remotely through the Smart Grid Services, so employees no longer have to travel from site to site to read each meter, or use special equipment such as cell phone modems.
Automated service administration will allow TXU to perform service changes when customers relocate. Customers won't have to wait for someone to come out and start their service, Houle explained.
Sparking New Legislation
The Texas Legislature played a key role approving the introduction of BPL technology services in the state. Without any existing rules, new technology must receive necessary regulations from government before anyone invests in it, Houle said.
In Texas, that's exactly what happened. The Legislature approved the use of BPL technology in Texas through SB 5 in July 2005, and outlined the necessary guidelines for electric utility companies seeking to own or operate BPL systems while ultimately giving them control.
"The electric utility shall have the right to decide, in its sole discretion, whether to implement BPL, and may not be penalized for deciding to implement or not to implement BPL," according to the bill.
The bill also acknowledges the anticipated statewide benefits of BPL: "The Legislature finds that access to quality, high-speed broadband services is important to this state. BPL deployment in Texas has the potential to extend broadband service to customers where broadband access is currently not available, and may provide an additional option for existing broadband consumers in Texas, resulting in a more competitive market for broadband services."
Sen. Troy Fraser, who authored the bill, stated, "This is a huge step forward for Texas consumers and the communications industry."
Fraser also said that BPL technology will bring more revenue and jobs to the state through fair competition in the communications industry.
BPL technology is quickly gaining attention throughout America.
"Broadband over power lines is a powerful new technology that has enabled many communities and citizens to receive communications services that otherwise would be unavailable, unreliable or very costly," said Michael Hyland, vice president of engineering services for the American Public Power Association, which represents more than 2,000 community- and state-owned electric utilities. "BPL has developed into a niche market, and may continue to grow in popularity in certain circumstances."
Although Hyland recognizes the emerging popularity of BPL technology, he adds that it may not be the best solution for every circumstance.
"In areas where fiber-optic cables are already installed, or multiple cable operators are vying for existence, BPL might not make as much sense," he said. "We also see Wi-Fi and Wi-Mesh systems as possible alternatives to BPL in many communities."
BPL did, however, seem the best solution for TXU, Houle said.
"We're in the smart grid business," he said. "We're trying to improve our reliability and customer service to be the best possible -- that's our focus. This is an excellent partnership and tool to help us get to the next step."
===
Live Wires
April 2006 By Sherry Watkins
Power lines are starting to buzz with more than just electricity.
With broadband over power line (BPL) technology, voice and data traffic can travel through existing electricity infrastructures, providing power-packed, high-speed Internet access to consumers through every electrical outlet in their homes or businesses.
Soon, approximately 2 million consumers in Texas will have the option to purchase BPL technology services, which will include not only high-speed Internet access, but also voice and television services.
In December 2005, TXU Electric Delivery partnered with Current Communications Group in an agreement to deploy BPL technology throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area and other areas serviced by TXU, which delivers electricity to approximately 2.7 million customers of retail electric providers across parts of Texas.
The rollout is expected to begin in October 2006 and take three to four years to complete.
Over the next few months, Current and TXU will work out implementation details, including a starting point, although the metro area would provide a dense customer base for Current to initially offer broadband services.
"We won't be working in stages, we'll just start moving through the service territory as fast as we can with the crews Current hires and install in a continuous three- to four-year effort," said Steve Houle, vice president of technology for TXU Electric Delivery.
The partnership contains clearly defined roles: TXU is a Current customer using the company's BPL technology to monitor and control the electrical network, and read meters through an automated process. On the flip side, Current gains access to the power lines and the ability to commercialize broadband services through BPL technology.
Electrified Broadband
BPL technology involves changing digital signals generated by consumers into radio frequencies that traverse the same twisted pair copper wiring that delivers electricity. Inversely, for consumers to access the data traveling the wires, the radio signal is transformed back into a digital format appropriate for personal computers, voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) telephones or television cable.
Broadband signal transmission over twisted pair wiring is not new. For instance, phone companies provide DSL over twisted pair, installing a modem at the customer site to take the signal off the wire once the signal arrives.
"The innovation is not to put broadband signals on the copper pair, but to put them on the electric power grid without interfering with the electric power distribution, and therefore, have a joint use," said Houle.
To achieve joint operability, Current will install the necessary BPL equipment on TXU's electric grid. "The communications signal will be every place our electric facilities are without us having to do a thing," said Houle.
The equipment looks similar to the electric equipment already installed throughout the grid and includes a coupler, which enables broadband traffic over the medium-voltage primary lines; a backhaul point, which is the primary data router that connects the BPL system to the local point of presence (or Internet service provider); a bridge, which routes and controls data traffic and serves as a gateway to customers; and a network management system that enables TXU to monitor and control the BPL system, conduct automated provisioning processes and manage network information.
For Current's broadband service customers, the only device needed is a BPL modem from HomePlug Powerline Alliance Inc., which resembles a cell phone charger. The modem can be plugged into any outlet where BPL service is received and connects computers to the Internet via USB, Ethernet or 802.11 Wi-Fi technology. With the BPL modem, no installation or inside wiring is required.
"You don't need to have telephone or cable outlets if you have BPL because you can run both over the BPL system," said Jay Birnbaum, vice president and general counsel for Current Communications. "Unlike cable and DSL, it works at every outlet in the house. You can pick up the computer and the modem, and plug it into another wall in the house and you're ready to go -- you're not fettered to one location."
More Knowledge, More Power
Current's Smart Grid Services will provide TXU with enhanced service capabilities, which include the ability to monitor the electric distribution network remotely, to quickly resolve customer outages by identifying them early on, and to perform automated meter reading.
BPL technology allows TXU to see network status in real time through two-way communication -- a big advantage according to Houle. Without BPL, communication travels in one direction and TXU cannot receive automatic outage notifications. A customer must call in for TXU to know that a problem exists, and even then, isolating the issue requires employees to physically investigate the source of the problem. In addition, major blackouts can occur when electrical problems are left untended, which can cost the government and economy money.
"With BPL, we'll know when a piece of equipment is out before a customer calls in," he said, adding that TXU can then dispatch crews more effectively when a problem occurs.
TXU's electric meters can be managed remotely through the Smart Grid Services, so employees no longer have to travel from site to site to read each meter, or use special equipment such as cell phone modems.
Automated service administration will allow TXU to perform service changes when customers relocate. Customers won't have to wait for someone to come out and start their service, Houle explained.
Sparking New Legislation
The Texas Legislature played a key role approving the introduction of BPL technology services in the state. Without any existing rules, new technology must receive necessary regulations from government before anyone invests in it, Houle said.
In Texas, that's exactly what happened. The Legislature approved the use of BPL technology in Texas through SB 5 in July 2005, and outlined the necessary guidelines for electric utility companies seeking to own or operate BPL systems while ultimately giving them control.
"The electric utility shall have the right to decide, in its sole discretion, whether to implement BPL, and may not be penalized for deciding to implement or not to implement BPL," according to the bill.
The bill also acknowledges the anticipated statewide benefits of BPL: "The Legislature finds that access to quality, high-speed broadband services is important to this state. BPL deployment in Texas has the potential to extend broadband service to customers where broadband access is currently not available, and may provide an additional option for existing broadband consumers in Texas, resulting in a more competitive market for broadband services."
Sen. Troy Fraser, who authored the bill, stated, "This is a huge step forward for Texas consumers and the communications industry."
Fraser also said that BPL technology will bring more revenue and jobs to the state through fair competition in the communications industry.
BPL technology is quickly gaining attention throughout America.
"Broadband over power lines is a powerful new technology that has enabled many communities and citizens to receive communications services that otherwise would be unavailable, unreliable or very costly," said Michael Hyland, vice president of engineering services for the American Public Power Association, which represents more than 2,000 community- and state-owned electric utilities. "BPL has developed into a niche market, and may continue to grow in popularity in certain circumstances."
Although Hyland recognizes the emerging popularity of BPL technology, he adds that it may not be the best solution for every circumstance.
"In areas where fiber-optic cables are already installed, or multiple cable operators are vying for existence, BPL might not make as much sense," he said. "We also see Wi-Fi and Wi-Mesh systems as possible alternatives to BPL in many communities."
BPL did, however, seem the best solution for TXU, Houle said.
"We're in the smart grid business," he said. "We're trying to improve our reliability and customer service to be the best possible -- that's our focus. This is an excellent partnership and tool to help us get to the next step."
Friday, April 21, 2006
FCC: MANASSAS REPORTS NO INTERFERENCE/ANNOUNCES G2 UPGRADE
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
In response to a complaint by an amateur operator, COMTek reported to the FCC this month that an independent FCC-certified testing laboratory could find no interference attributable to BPL in the specific ham radio frequencies. According to COMTek, the testing lab conducted on/off tests of the system, and found “an almost identical level of interference in the ham bands covered in the complaint to the FCC, regardless of whether or not the BPL equipment was in operation. This means that, while ham radio operators may have detected the interference reported to the FCC, it does not appear to arise from COMTek’s BPL operations.” In response to COMTek’s news release, ARRL posted a story to its Web site quoting the local amateur operator that the interference is “still there”, basically ignoring the larger question whether the interference is from BPL. ARRL didn’t attempt to explain why the report measures an “almost identical level of interference” even when the BPL system was off. Instead, it criticized the type of equipment that was used to measure the emissions, and noted that the report is preliminary. For its part, COMTek said that it will continue to test in the coming months.
COMTek also announced that it would upgrade all 600 of its overhead BPL devices to G2 in July. COMTek Vice President, Walt Adams said, “The COMTek decision to upgrade its overhead BPL equipment in Manassas reflects our longstanding commitment to provide the best available hardware and services for our rapidly growing customer base. BPL in Manassas is a real success story that shows that the 'first wire' to homes is a viable means of delivering affordable broadband to homes and businesses that otherwise face limited alternatives and unnecessarily high prices.” The G2 equipment reportedly uses a modified HomePlug chipset that delivers 14 mbps and includes features such as QOS for VoIP. The G1 equipment uses spread spectrum and is not interoperable with the G2 equipment. It also disclosed that it “expects to announce that it has reached the 1000th customer milestone in Manassas during the spring or early summer of 2006.”
read more at http://www.uplc.org/
In response to a complaint by an amateur operator, COMTek reported to the FCC this month that an independent FCC-certified testing laboratory could find no interference attributable to BPL in the specific ham radio frequencies. According to COMTek, the testing lab conducted on/off tests of the system, and found “an almost identical level of interference in the ham bands covered in the complaint to the FCC, regardless of whether or not the BPL equipment was in operation. This means that, while ham radio operators may have detected the interference reported to the FCC, it does not appear to arise from COMTek’s BPL operations.” In response to COMTek’s news release, ARRL posted a story to its Web site quoting the local amateur operator that the interference is “still there”, basically ignoring the larger question whether the interference is from BPL. ARRL didn’t attempt to explain why the report measures an “almost identical level of interference” even when the BPL system was off. Instead, it criticized the type of equipment that was used to measure the emissions, and noted that the report is preliminary. For its part, COMTek said that it will continue to test in the coming months.
COMTek also announced that it would upgrade all 600 of its overhead BPL devices to G2 in July. COMTek Vice President, Walt Adams said, “The COMTek decision to upgrade its overhead BPL equipment in Manassas reflects our longstanding commitment to provide the best available hardware and services for our rapidly growing customer base. BPL in Manassas is a real success story that shows that the 'first wire' to homes is a viable means of delivering affordable broadband to homes and businesses that otherwise face limited alternatives and unnecessarily high prices.” The G2 equipment reportedly uses a modified HomePlug chipset that delivers 14 mbps and includes features such as QOS for VoIP. The G1 equipment uses spread spectrum and is not interoperable with the G2 equipment. It also disclosed that it “expects to announce that it has reached the 1000th customer milestone in Manassas during the spring or early summer of 2006.”
read more at http://www.uplc.org/
Thursday, April 20, 2006
DS2 200Mbps BPL Technology at World Triple Play and IPTV Forum
World Triple Play IPTV Forum
24-26 April 2006, Berns Hotel, Stockholm , Stockholm, Sweden
“In 2004, the market for IPTV services in Western Europe was worth $62 million. By 2009, this market will be worth $2.5 billion”
IDC
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Microsoft wows Chinese president with "Home of the Future"
Wed Apr 19, 3:35 AM ET
REDMOND, United States (AFP) - The world's software leader Microsoft impressed China's President Hu Jintao with a tour of its most advanced technological innovations, including the "Home of the Future."
Comfortably and tastefully furnished, the facility in Microsoft's Redmond Campus, just outside Seattle, is a model of the type of high-tech home the company envisions will be used in five to 10 years.
Stepping into the livingroom, Hu was shown a screen which displayed digital photos of a typical family. With the movement of a Chinese vase, the photos changed to ones of places where Hu had lived or worked, including Beijing and Tibet as well as his alma mater Tsinghua University.
Forget photo albums.
"He's very interested in the introduction and briefing by Microsoft people," said Hong Lei, director of information in the Chinese foreign ministry's North America division.
So "fascinated" by what he was shown, the tour took about 15 minutes longer than expected, said Lou Gellos, a Microsoft spokesman.
"He asked questions at every stage of the demonstration," Gellos told reporters later.
One of the stops that interested Hu was the kitchen, where if Hu's wife Liu Yongqing, who accompanied him on the tour, took out a sack of flour from the cupboard, the computer system in the home would immediately beam down suggestions of recipes she could make on the kitchen counter.
And the smart kitchen would remind the Hu household if the flour is used up and not put back in the cupboard to buy another bag on their next shopping trip, not that China's first family would need to cook or do their own shopping.
In the closet, another point of interests for Hu, a seemingly normal mirror immediately displays the day's temperature, whether it would be appropriate to wear a certain item of clothing and suggestions for what to match with it once the owner takes out the piece of clothing.
In the home, Hu thought it was neat that a youngster doing homework on astronomy can immediately get an interactive picture of a certain planet on a large wall screen, showing the immense possibilities of giving students greater access to information.
A former hydraulic engineer, with a photographic memory, Hu has a natural interest in technology.
Gellos said Hu specifically asked to see the futuristic home after his aides took an advance tour of Microsoft and went back to tell him the options.
Stopping at the top of the stairs at the end of the tour, Gellos said Hu told Gates: "Bill Gates is a friend of China and I'm a friend of Microsoft."
=================
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
REDMOND, United States (AFP) - The world's software leader Microsoft impressed China's President Hu Jintao with a tour of its most advanced technological innovations, including the "Home of the Future."
Comfortably and tastefully furnished, the facility in Microsoft's Redmond Campus, just outside Seattle, is a model of the type of high-tech home the company envisions will be used in five to 10 years.
Stepping into the livingroom, Hu was shown a screen which displayed digital photos of a typical family. With the movement of a Chinese vase, the photos changed to ones of places where Hu had lived or worked, including Beijing and Tibet as well as his alma mater Tsinghua University.
Forget photo albums.
"He's very interested in the introduction and briefing by Microsoft people," said Hong Lei, director of information in the Chinese foreign ministry's North America division.
So "fascinated" by what he was shown, the tour took about 15 minutes longer than expected, said Lou Gellos, a Microsoft spokesman.
"He asked questions at every stage of the demonstration," Gellos told reporters later.
One of the stops that interested Hu was the kitchen, where if Hu's wife Liu Yongqing, who accompanied him on the tour, took out a sack of flour from the cupboard, the computer system in the home would immediately beam down suggestions of recipes she could make on the kitchen counter.
And the smart kitchen would remind the Hu household if the flour is used up and not put back in the cupboard to buy another bag on their next shopping trip, not that China's first family would need to cook or do their own shopping.
In the closet, another point of interests for Hu, a seemingly normal mirror immediately displays the day's temperature, whether it would be appropriate to wear a certain item of clothing and suggestions for what to match with it once the owner takes out the piece of clothing.
In the home, Hu thought it was neat that a youngster doing homework on astronomy can immediately get an interactive picture of a certain planet on a large wall screen, showing the immense possibilities of giving students greater access to information.
A former hydraulic engineer, with a photographic memory, Hu has a natural interest in technology.
Gellos said Hu specifically asked to see the futuristic home after his aides took an advance tour of Microsoft and went back to tell him the options.
Stopping at the top of the stairs at the end of the tour, Gellos said Hu told Gates: "Bill Gates is a friend of China and I'm a friend of Microsoft."
=================
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Communications Technologies Launch 'Power TV' Network: live, two-way IPTV video/chat broadcast during Earth Day 2006
Global Warming Heats up Internet-Protocol Television: Earth Day 2006 Will See Biggest Ever 2-Way IPTV Broadcast With Experts Reaching 16,000 Science Classrooms
Tuesday April 18, 1:44 pm ET
Groundbreaking Event Marks Launch of Chantilly, VA.-based COMTek 'Power TV' Network; Panels Feature Pew, Harvard, MIT Global Warming Experts and Religious Leaders
WASHINGTON, April 18 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 16,000 high school and college science classrooms across the United States will simultaneously see and chat with nine leading scientific and religious experts on the topic of global warming through the Earth Day Network using the new "PowerTV" internet- protocol television (IPTV) network of Chantilly-based Communication Technologies, Inc. (COMTek). The massive, interactive undertaking is believed to be single biggest simultaneous application of two-way IPTV technology ever attempted.
The live, two-way IPTV video/chat broadcast will take place from 1-3 p.m. ET/10 a.m.-1 p.m. PT on April 21, 2006 at http://www.earthdaynetwork.tv. Students will see a scientific expert panel followed by a panel of religious leaders and be able to chat with the panelists on a real-time basis throughout both presentations.
Jeff Nesbit, vice president of communications, Earth Day Network said: "The panelists for Earth Day Network's live chat are leading members of the global warming community and have all contributed significantly to the world's understanding of climate change. This major leap forward in our education efforts means that we will be able to reach literally hundreds of thousands of young minds at the same time -- and to get feedback from many of them as well."
Dr. Joseph Fergus, president and CEO, Communications Technologies, Inc., said: "COMTek has the ideal global network consisting of our own private IP, fiber, wireless, broadband over power lines (BPL) and satellite links, and the right background in managed network services to make an event possible on this unprecedented scale. This will be the first, true broadcast of real scope featuring IPTV service with full interactive capability. COMTek IPTV is a revolutionary new way to communicate that holds great promise for the Internet user community. The COMTek Network Services Team brings together nationally recognized media and technology leaders who have applied their skills and talents to create our innovative and patent-pending 'PowerTV' IPTV platform, which is truly unlike any other out there today."
Internet-protocol television can be live or pre-recorded and broadcast at any time, with DVD quality and capable of migrating to the next generation high definition television (HDTV). IPTV is a two-way interactive broadcast whereas traditional Web "streaming" is a one-way flow. COMTek's PowerTV Network Services provide users with the full experience of television broadcasting coupled with the interactive capability of the World Wide Web and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Through PowerTV, a user/viewer experience can now be fully personalized in a way that is impossible with over-the-air or cable television broadcasting.
All students who watch the IPTV-powered broadcast/chat are eligible to submit an essay to Earth Day Network describing what they learned and how it has motivated them to take action to slow global warming. The best essays will receive prizes and recognition on the Earth Day Network Web site.
The panelists for Earth Day Network's live broadcast/chat are leading members of the global warming community and have all contributed significantly to the world's understanding of climate change. Vicki Arroyo, director of policy analysis, Pew Center on Global Climate Change; Dr. David Battisti, professor of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Washington and director, University's Earth Initiative; Professor John Harte, Energy and Resources Group and the Ecosystem Sciences Division, College of Natural Resources, University of California, Berkeley; Dr. John Reilly, associate director for research, Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change, and senior research scientist, Laboratory for Energy and Environment, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and Professor Daniel Schrag, Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, and director, Harvard University Center for the Environment.
The second panel of religious leaders will consist of: Rev. Richard Cizik, vice president for governmental affairs, National Association of Evangelicals; Rabbi Daniel Swartz, coordinator, Greater Washington Interfaith Power and Light, a project of the Churches Center on Theology and Public Policy and the Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington; Rev. Alida M. DeCoster, minister, Social Justice Internship Program, the Unitarian Universalist, Washington D.C. office; and Imam Yahya Hendi, Muslim chaplain, Georgetown University.
Reflecting $11 million in development over a three-year period, COMTek PowerTV is distributed over the firm's private, hybrid, global IP network that integrates fiber, wireless, broadband-over-power-lines (BPL) and satellite distribution to power an edge-distributed, low-cost and flexible IPTV service capable of delivering quality, interactive viewing experiences to PowerTV clients and their customers. Dedicated access to its own robust network, 15 years of advanced IT and networking leadership, and the expertise of over 900 technical personnel provides COMTek PowerTV with significant competitive advantages in the IPTV arena.
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
Tuesday April 18, 1:44 pm ET
Groundbreaking Event Marks Launch of Chantilly, VA.-based COMTek 'Power TV' Network; Panels Feature Pew, Harvard, MIT Global Warming Experts and Religious Leaders
WASHINGTON, April 18 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 16,000 high school and college science classrooms across the United States will simultaneously see and chat with nine leading scientific and religious experts on the topic of global warming through the Earth Day Network using the new "PowerTV" internet- protocol television (IPTV) network of Chantilly-based Communication Technologies, Inc. (COMTek). The massive, interactive undertaking is believed to be single biggest simultaneous application of two-way IPTV technology ever attempted.
The live, two-way IPTV video/chat broadcast will take place from 1-3 p.m. ET/10 a.m.-1 p.m. PT on April 21, 2006 at http://www.earthdaynetwork.tv. Students will see a scientific expert panel followed by a panel of religious leaders and be able to chat with the panelists on a real-time basis throughout both presentations.
Jeff Nesbit, vice president of communications, Earth Day Network said: "The panelists for Earth Day Network's live chat are leading members of the global warming community and have all contributed significantly to the world's understanding of climate change. This major leap forward in our education efforts means that we will be able to reach literally hundreds of thousands of young minds at the same time -- and to get feedback from many of them as well."
Dr. Joseph Fergus, president and CEO, Communications Technologies, Inc., said: "COMTek has the ideal global network consisting of our own private IP, fiber, wireless, broadband over power lines (BPL) and satellite links, and the right background in managed network services to make an event possible on this unprecedented scale. This will be the first, true broadcast of real scope featuring IPTV service with full interactive capability. COMTek IPTV is a revolutionary new way to communicate that holds great promise for the Internet user community. The COMTek Network Services Team brings together nationally recognized media and technology leaders who have applied their skills and talents to create our innovative and patent-pending 'PowerTV' IPTV platform, which is truly unlike any other out there today."
Internet-protocol television can be live or pre-recorded and broadcast at any time, with DVD quality and capable of migrating to the next generation high definition television (HDTV). IPTV is a two-way interactive broadcast whereas traditional Web "streaming" is a one-way flow. COMTek's PowerTV Network Services provide users with the full experience of television broadcasting coupled with the interactive capability of the World Wide Web and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Through PowerTV, a user/viewer experience can now be fully personalized in a way that is impossible with over-the-air or cable television broadcasting.
All students who watch the IPTV-powered broadcast/chat are eligible to submit an essay to Earth Day Network describing what they learned and how it has motivated them to take action to slow global warming. The best essays will receive prizes and recognition on the Earth Day Network Web site.
The panelists for Earth Day Network's live broadcast/chat are leading members of the global warming community and have all contributed significantly to the world's understanding of climate change. Vicki Arroyo, director of policy analysis, Pew Center on Global Climate Change; Dr. David Battisti, professor of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Washington and director, University's Earth Initiative; Professor John Harte, Energy and Resources Group and the Ecosystem Sciences Division, College of Natural Resources, University of California, Berkeley; Dr. John Reilly, associate director for research, Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change, and senior research scientist, Laboratory for Energy and Environment, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and Professor Daniel Schrag, Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, and director, Harvard University Center for the Environment.
The second panel of religious leaders will consist of: Rev. Richard Cizik, vice president for governmental affairs, National Association of Evangelicals; Rabbi Daniel Swartz, coordinator, Greater Washington Interfaith Power and Light, a project of the Churches Center on Theology and Public Policy and the Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington; Rev. Alida M. DeCoster, minister, Social Justice Internship Program, the Unitarian Universalist, Washington D.C. office; and Imam Yahya Hendi, Muslim chaplain, Georgetown University.
Reflecting $11 million in development over a three-year period, COMTek PowerTV is distributed over the firm's private, hybrid, global IP network that integrates fiber, wireless, broadband-over-power-lines (BPL) and satellite distribution to power an edge-distributed, low-cost and flexible IPTV service capable of delivering quality, interactive viewing experiences to PowerTV clients and their customers. Dedicated access to its own robust network, 15 years of advanced IT and networking leadership, and the expertise of over 900 technical personnel provides COMTek PowerTV with significant competitive advantages in the IPTV arena.
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
Intellon and DS2 are in a death battle over the standards for BPL, both for use inside the home and for access BPL ...
Intellon Fires Broadside In BPL Battle
April 18, 2006
Broadband over powerline (BPL) chip house Intellon says it’s just passed the five-million-chips-shipped milestone for its HomePlug Powerline Alliance specification-compliant silicon along with hitting a production rate of one million chips per quarter.
The manufacturer diplomatically didn’t mention Spanish BPL house and arch-enemy Design of Systems on Silicon S.A. (DS2) in its announcement, but the target was clear.
Intellon and DS2 are in a death battle over the standards for BPL, both for use inside the home and for access BPL – the delivery of broadband over power company lines to a building. Contrasted with Intellon’s claim of five million chips now shipped, DS2 claims one million. However, DS2 claims to be well-ahead in the battle to deliver chips capable of 200 Mb/s, which Intellon now says it will soon start shipping and with several U.S. companies to announce product by mid-year (a couple of Europeans are already announced).
Actually, Intellon is bragging about 10 million chips, not five, although only five million are HomePlug-compliant. The other five million are chips Intellon built for use in the trucking industry to help that industry meet a U.S. Department of Transportation mandate that tractor-trailer drivers had to have a system to know if the automatic braking system (ABS) on the trailers they were pulling was working or not. What Intellon crafted to meet the DoT mandate, handed down some five years ago, was a BPL transceiver that works over the standard electric cabling harness that already links the cab and tractor trailer, eliminating the need for some sort of costly retrofit.
As it turns out, that BPL system, chosen over wireless solutions because of reliability issues, is now on just about every tractor trailer on American highways – a little-known business on which Intellon has cashed in. The relevance of that to the broadband industry, the company says, is that it proves Intellon knows how to churn out the chips. To read more about the company’s BPL strategy, read today’s issue of Broadband Business Forecast.
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
April 18, 2006
Broadband over powerline (BPL) chip house Intellon says it’s just passed the five-million-chips-shipped milestone for its HomePlug Powerline Alliance specification-compliant silicon along with hitting a production rate of one million chips per quarter.
The manufacturer diplomatically didn’t mention Spanish BPL house and arch-enemy Design of Systems on Silicon S.A. (DS2) in its announcement, but the target was clear.
Intellon and DS2 are in a death battle over the standards for BPL, both for use inside the home and for access BPL – the delivery of broadband over power company lines to a building. Contrasted with Intellon’s claim of five million chips now shipped, DS2 claims one million. However, DS2 claims to be well-ahead in the battle to deliver chips capable of 200 Mb/s, which Intellon now says it will soon start shipping and with several U.S. companies to announce product by mid-year (a couple of Europeans are already announced).
Actually, Intellon is bragging about 10 million chips, not five, although only five million are HomePlug-compliant. The other five million are chips Intellon built for use in the trucking industry to help that industry meet a U.S. Department of Transportation mandate that tractor-trailer drivers had to have a system to know if the automatic braking system (ABS) on the trailers they were pulling was working or not. What Intellon crafted to meet the DoT mandate, handed down some five years ago, was a BPL transceiver that works over the standard electric cabling harness that already links the cab and tractor trailer, eliminating the need for some sort of costly retrofit.
As it turns out, that BPL system, chosen over wireless solutions because of reliability issues, is now on just about every tractor trailer on American highways – a little-known business on which Intellon has cashed in. The relevance of that to the broadband industry, the company says, is that it proves Intellon knows how to churn out the chips. To read more about the company’s BPL strategy, read today’s issue of Broadband Business Forecast.
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
Monday, April 17, 2006
Broadband over Power Line World spoke today with Katherine Gomm, Research Manager at the United Telecom Council, about "Wi-Fi and WiMAX for Utilities
You can watch and listen to a video of that conversation with Katherine Gomm at UTC by clicking here
Real-time or Smart electricity meters may help New England avoid blackouts during summers
Power Struggle
Real-time electricity meters may help New England avoid blackouts during summers
By Peter J. Howe, Globe Staff | April 17, 2006
New England may be just a couple of summers away from an electricity crisis that officials warn would be serious enough to force Third World-style rolling blackouts to stretch overtaxed electricity supplies.
But energy officials say New Englanders are showing little appetite for bringing new power supplies on line. There is resistance to building nuclear reactors and coal-burning power plants to make more electricity. Natural gas has grown far too expensive to rely on for more electricity generation. Canada has little spare power to sell. And plans for 130 wind turbines in Nantucket Sound are mired in controversy.
One of the few options left is a better kind of electricity meter.
Real-time or smart meters can tell millions of consumers what electricity actually costs in the wholesale market at any given moment, so they see a direct benefit from turning off the air conditioner, or waiting until the night to run the clothes dryer.
By giving people a powerful cost incentive for conserving electricity, the technology could stave off a crisis for years. And it could cost a tiny fraction of what new power plants and transmission lines would, officials say.
Technologies for introducing real-time electricity pricing to consumers range from high-tech, Internet-connected thermostats and meters to techniques as simple as sending e-mails and cellphone text messages telling people when they could save a lot of money by throttling back electricity consumption.
Over the course of a year in New England's competitive power markets, the price of a kilowatt-hour of electricity can range from 7 cents to $1, depending on whether it's a mild morning in spring when electricity demand is low or a scorching August afternoon when air conditioners and refrigerators are running full blast. (The average household uses about 750 kilowatt-hours of electricity monthly, and each kWh is equal to leaving 13 75-watt light bulbs on for a little over an hour.)
For years, a handful of huge industrial and commercial customers have been able to get real-time meters. NStar, which provides electricity in Boston and 80 suburbs, has about 100 large customers who pay fluctuating wholesale market rates every hour.
But today, almost all consumers pay their utility the same rate each hour regardless of what electricity actually costs. A nebulous sense of civic virtue -- not extra savings on the electricity bill -- is the only reward for homeowners who heed local power grid managers when they make their occasional summer-afternoon power-conservation appeals.
That's slowly beginning to change. Elsewhere in the country, a handful of utilities from New Jersey to Illinois to California have begun offering real-time meters to small residential and commercial customers. Last summer's energy bill is requiring more utilities to push ahead with real-time pricing plans covering more customers.
''That's where we need to go," said Gordon van Welie, chief executive of Independent System Operator New England, the Holyoke organization that runs the six-state power grid.
One quirk of the electricity market is that small reductions in demand during the dozen or so days every year when power demand spikes into potential crisis territory can have huge effects on costs. Like other markets, the price of electricity gradually climbs as demand rises. But at a certain point, after demand is equal to 90 or 95 percent of available capacity, the price suddenly spikes upward. Knocking a few percentage points off demand can send prices plunging.
Scores of businesses and government agencies across New England now participate in what are called demand-response programs, run by companies like EnerNOC of Boston. When power supplies grow tight, these organizations are paid cash bounties to conserve on power.
But van Welie said he thinks the future lies in spreading the burden more widely. ''There's a point with demand-response where you're hurting the economy. People want to be in business running their business, not shutting it down," van Welie said.
Compared to other parts of the country, business and industry represent a much smaller pool of potential savings in New England. The Midwest ISO, for example, which runs the grid for parts of 15 states and Manitoba, serves 3 million fewer people than New England's, but has four times the total electricity demand, reflecting what a vastly bigger industrial base the Midwest has. In New England, ''the bulk of the consumption is from a lot of consumers," van Welie said.
Most utility officials have come to think that while there may be a small number of technophiles who would love to have complex metering systems that show them the current price of electricity on a thermostat display or a cellphone-accessible website, the best thing is to keep it simple -- and cheap.
When California ran a test of a real-time pricing program in 2003-04 that involved about 1,400 households, one of the most successful innovations was imposing a ''critical peak" price, said Chuck Goldman, a researcher at the US Energy Department's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory who has studied real-time prices. About 12 or 15 times a year, customers get an e-mail warning that during certain hours the next day, prices will have to jump to five to seven times their normal levels.
''It's tough to expose most customers to hourly prices all the time," Goldman said, but if a limited number of days a year consumers face ''trigger points," utilities can easily get enough people to moderate power usage to stave off market crises.
At NStar, executives are following real-time pricing projects elsewhere, including one beginning this summer at Public Service Electric and Gas Co. in New Jersey. But NStar is still skeptical about the cost-effectiveness of the technology. Noting that meters with real-time price capability can cost up to 15 times as much as the standard $50-to-$70 meter, NStar vice president of customer care Penni McLean-Conner said:
''To us, real-time pricing for residential customers is a very expensive technology. You have to make it simple enough and easy enough -- and inexpensive enough -- for people to save money."
====
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
Real-time electricity meters may help New England avoid blackouts during summers
By Peter J. Howe, Globe Staff | April 17, 2006
New England may be just a couple of summers away from an electricity crisis that officials warn would be serious enough to force Third World-style rolling blackouts to stretch overtaxed electricity supplies.
But energy officials say New Englanders are showing little appetite for bringing new power supplies on line. There is resistance to building nuclear reactors and coal-burning power plants to make more electricity. Natural gas has grown far too expensive to rely on for more electricity generation. Canada has little spare power to sell. And plans for 130 wind turbines in Nantucket Sound are mired in controversy.
One of the few options left is a better kind of electricity meter.
Real-time or smart meters can tell millions of consumers what electricity actually costs in the wholesale market at any given moment, so they see a direct benefit from turning off the air conditioner, or waiting until the night to run the clothes dryer.
By giving people a powerful cost incentive for conserving electricity, the technology could stave off a crisis for years. And it could cost a tiny fraction of what new power plants and transmission lines would, officials say.
Technologies for introducing real-time electricity pricing to consumers range from high-tech, Internet-connected thermostats and meters to techniques as simple as sending e-mails and cellphone text messages telling people when they could save a lot of money by throttling back electricity consumption.
Over the course of a year in New England's competitive power markets, the price of a kilowatt-hour of electricity can range from 7 cents to $1, depending on whether it's a mild morning in spring when electricity demand is low or a scorching August afternoon when air conditioners and refrigerators are running full blast. (The average household uses about 750 kilowatt-hours of electricity monthly, and each kWh is equal to leaving 13 75-watt light bulbs on for a little over an hour.)
For years, a handful of huge industrial and commercial customers have been able to get real-time meters. NStar, which provides electricity in Boston and 80 suburbs, has about 100 large customers who pay fluctuating wholesale market rates every hour.
But today, almost all consumers pay their utility the same rate each hour regardless of what electricity actually costs. A nebulous sense of civic virtue -- not extra savings on the electricity bill -- is the only reward for homeowners who heed local power grid managers when they make their occasional summer-afternoon power-conservation appeals.
That's slowly beginning to change. Elsewhere in the country, a handful of utilities from New Jersey to Illinois to California have begun offering real-time meters to small residential and commercial customers. Last summer's energy bill is requiring more utilities to push ahead with real-time pricing plans covering more customers.
''That's where we need to go," said Gordon van Welie, chief executive of Independent System Operator New England, the Holyoke organization that runs the six-state power grid.
One quirk of the electricity market is that small reductions in demand during the dozen or so days every year when power demand spikes into potential crisis territory can have huge effects on costs. Like other markets, the price of electricity gradually climbs as demand rises. But at a certain point, after demand is equal to 90 or 95 percent of available capacity, the price suddenly spikes upward. Knocking a few percentage points off demand can send prices plunging.
Scores of businesses and government agencies across New England now participate in what are called demand-response programs, run by companies like EnerNOC of Boston. When power supplies grow tight, these organizations are paid cash bounties to conserve on power.
But van Welie said he thinks the future lies in spreading the burden more widely. ''There's a point with demand-response where you're hurting the economy. People want to be in business running their business, not shutting it down," van Welie said.
Compared to other parts of the country, business and industry represent a much smaller pool of potential savings in New England. The Midwest ISO, for example, which runs the grid for parts of 15 states and Manitoba, serves 3 million fewer people than New England's, but has four times the total electricity demand, reflecting what a vastly bigger industrial base the Midwest has. In New England, ''the bulk of the consumption is from a lot of consumers," van Welie said.
Most utility officials have come to think that while there may be a small number of technophiles who would love to have complex metering systems that show them the current price of electricity on a thermostat display or a cellphone-accessible website, the best thing is to keep it simple -- and cheap.
When California ran a test of a real-time pricing program in 2003-04 that involved about 1,400 households, one of the most successful innovations was imposing a ''critical peak" price, said Chuck Goldman, a researcher at the US Energy Department's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory who has studied real-time prices. About 12 or 15 times a year, customers get an e-mail warning that during certain hours the next day, prices will have to jump to five to seven times their normal levels.
''It's tough to expose most customers to hourly prices all the time," Goldman said, but if a limited number of days a year consumers face ''trigger points," utilities can easily get enough people to moderate power usage to stave off market crises.
At NStar, executives are following real-time pricing projects elsewhere, including one beginning this summer at Public Service Electric and Gas Co. in New Jersey. But NStar is still skeptical about the cost-effectiveness of the technology. Noting that meters with real-time price capability can cost up to 15 times as much as the standard $50-to-$70 meter, NStar vice president of customer care Penni McLean-Conner said:
''To us, real-time pricing for residential customers is a very expensive technology. You have to make it simple enough and easy enough -- and inexpensive enough -- for people to save money."
====
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
Intellon sold over 5 million integrated circuits for Next-Gen Home Networking Technology as a simple and secure alternative to Wi-Fi
Intellon Offers Next-Gen Home Networking Technology Bary Alyssa Johnson - PC Magazine
Mon Apr 17, 12:38 PM ET
While powerline networking has been slow to take off in the United States, industry executives and analysts say the technology has a future as broadband television and home automation take hold.
One of the members of the Homeplug Powerline Alliance, Intellon, said this week that it has sold over 5 million integrated circuits (ICs) to date, evidence that the technology is succeeding.
"This technology competes against two factions: wired vs. wireless," said In-Stat Residental Connectivity analyst Joyce Putscher. "There are a number of different uses for it and it's very easy for consumers to understand."
Intellon is marketing its technology as a simple and secure alternative to Wi-Fi. The company's powerline technology turns each electrical socket in a user's home into a potential network port, turning the home's existing infrastructure into a networking alternative.
"The average home has 40 electrical outlets, allowing you to create 40 different network points, so you can use [IP] devices wherever there is an electrical outlet," said Philip Poulidis, Director of Marketing for Intellon. "We allow you to network over existing powerlines…instead of wiring your home with Ethernet or using wireless, which doesn't always give you full coverage."
"The selling point is that everybody has power in their house and multiple power jacks in every room," said Sylvester. "There are some geographical differences. Not every country has as many power jacks in every room, but generally speaking, it's pretty universal."
The Homeplug Alliance defines standards for powerline networking. The board is comprised of Intel, Cisco, Linksys, GE Security, Earthlink, Comcast, Motorola, Radio Shack, Samsung, Sharp, and Sony. Its mission is to enable rapid availability, adoption, and implementation of interoperable home networks and products, according to its Web site.
"To date we've sold a total of 5 million Homeplug chips," said Poulidis. "Right now we're working on a run rate of 1 million chips per quarter and we expect to surpass that by the end of the year."
However, Wi-Fi chips still outnumber powerline adapters by a significant margin. Although powerline proponents claim its technology is secure, wireless PCs can be secured through the use of passwords and encryption. Analysts say that it in certain niches, however, powerline has an advantage.
"In some cases wireless has limitations," said Sylvester. "Powerline provides substantially more bandwidth than any Wi-Fi solution available, so if you're trying to pump a lot of data across your network, you need more bandwidth than current shipping Wi-Fi solutions have."
Aside from enabling high-speed Internet access, Intellon technology also allows for various entertainment applications. Intel demonstrated the product during a recent developer forum, where it was used to show streaming video from the Internet to a Viiv set-top box.
"The jury is still out on whether or not the service providers will end up using it for video distribution," said Putscher. "If they do, I would see that happening more outside the US because both in Europe and Asia they don't have as much coax in homes as we do."
"The powerline players realize that a better audience is not consumers directly, but selling to service providers," said IDC analyst IdaRose Sylvester. "Those kinds of companies have the power to push the technology to the consumer, so if they make a deal they'll reach thousands of customers, rather than reaching out to consumers one by one."
40% of Intellon's current business is in Europe and it holds over 95% market share worldwide. The company says it expects big business in the United States soon and is in talks with most major telco service providers in the country.
"It's a relatively slow-growing market," said Sylvester. "I wouldn't say it's doing great in Europe because the technology is in the early stage of adoption. It's reaching critical mass, but nobody has hit the home run and nailed the market entirely."
Network-gear vendors like D-Link use Intellon's ICs to manufacture Ethernet adapters, which plug directly into the wall and bridge Ethernet to powerline.
"Wi-Fi transmits data wirelessly and our technology transmits over the powerline—Netgear has married these two technologies together with a Wireless Extender Kit, which uses two adapters," said Poulidis. "One is a powerline-to-ethernet adapter, which plugs into your wireless router, and the other unit is a powerline-to-wireless access point, which plugs into an outlet in any room in your house where you want to extend your wireless access."
Panasonic is also playing the powerline networking field. The company is demonstrating its HD-PLC (High-Definition Power Line Communication) technology at the Digital Home Conference and Showcase. HD-PLC allows for transmission of digital data, including HDTV video, Internet and VoIP over high-bandwidth home networks, by way of household power lines.
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
Mon Apr 17, 12:38 PM ET
While powerline networking has been slow to take off in the United States, industry executives and analysts say the technology has a future as broadband television and home automation take hold.
One of the members of the Homeplug Powerline Alliance, Intellon, said this week that it has sold over 5 million integrated circuits (ICs) to date, evidence that the technology is succeeding.
"This technology competes against two factions: wired vs. wireless," said In-Stat Residental Connectivity analyst Joyce Putscher. "There are a number of different uses for it and it's very easy for consumers to understand."
Intellon is marketing its technology as a simple and secure alternative to Wi-Fi. The company's powerline technology turns each electrical socket in a user's home into a potential network port, turning the home's existing infrastructure into a networking alternative.
"The average home has 40 electrical outlets, allowing you to create 40 different network points, so you can use [IP] devices wherever there is an electrical outlet," said Philip Poulidis, Director of Marketing for Intellon. "We allow you to network over existing powerlines…instead of wiring your home with Ethernet or using wireless, which doesn't always give you full coverage."
"The selling point is that everybody has power in their house and multiple power jacks in every room," said Sylvester. "There are some geographical differences. Not every country has as many power jacks in every room, but generally speaking, it's pretty universal."
The Homeplug Alliance defines standards for powerline networking. The board is comprised of Intel, Cisco, Linksys, GE Security, Earthlink, Comcast, Motorola, Radio Shack, Samsung, Sharp, and Sony. Its mission is to enable rapid availability, adoption, and implementation of interoperable home networks and products, according to its Web site.
"To date we've sold a total of 5 million Homeplug chips," said Poulidis. "Right now we're working on a run rate of 1 million chips per quarter and we expect to surpass that by the end of the year."
However, Wi-Fi chips still outnumber powerline adapters by a significant margin. Although powerline proponents claim its technology is secure, wireless PCs can be secured through the use of passwords and encryption. Analysts say that it in certain niches, however, powerline has an advantage.
"In some cases wireless has limitations," said Sylvester. "Powerline provides substantially more bandwidth than any Wi-Fi solution available, so if you're trying to pump a lot of data across your network, you need more bandwidth than current shipping Wi-Fi solutions have."
Aside from enabling high-speed Internet access, Intellon technology also allows for various entertainment applications. Intel demonstrated the product during a recent developer forum, where it was used to show streaming video from the Internet to a Viiv set-top box.
"The jury is still out on whether or not the service providers will end up using it for video distribution," said Putscher. "If they do, I would see that happening more outside the US because both in Europe and Asia they don't have as much coax in homes as we do."
"The powerline players realize that a better audience is not consumers directly, but selling to service providers," said IDC analyst IdaRose Sylvester. "Those kinds of companies have the power to push the technology to the consumer, so if they make a deal they'll reach thousands of customers, rather than reaching out to consumers one by one."
40% of Intellon's current business is in Europe and it holds over 95% market share worldwide. The company says it expects big business in the United States soon and is in talks with most major telco service providers in the country.
"It's a relatively slow-growing market," said Sylvester. "I wouldn't say it's doing great in Europe because the technology is in the early stage of adoption. It's reaching critical mass, but nobody has hit the home run and nailed the market entirely."
Network-gear vendors like D-Link use Intellon's ICs to manufacture Ethernet adapters, which plug directly into the wall and bridge Ethernet to powerline.
"Wi-Fi transmits data wirelessly and our technology transmits over the powerline—Netgear has married these two technologies together with a Wireless Extender Kit, which uses two adapters," said Poulidis. "One is a powerline-to-ethernet adapter, which plugs into your wireless router, and the other unit is a powerline-to-wireless access point, which plugs into an outlet in any room in your house where you want to extend your wireless access."
Panasonic is also playing the powerline networking field. The company is demonstrating its HD-PLC (High-Definition Power Line Communication) technology at the Digital Home Conference and Showcase. HD-PLC allows for transmission of digital data, including HDTV video, Internet and VoIP over high-bandwidth home networks, by way of household power lines.
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
Read----> The missing last mile
Rural communities that lack broadband connectivity have an extra handicap when it comes to implementing health IT
BY Nancy Ferris
Published on Apr. 17, 2006
BY Nancy Ferris
Published on Apr. 17, 2006
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Saturday, April 15, 2006
120 year old technology reloads as high-tech
" Electricity and electrical power transmission lines have been a part of economic life in the US for the last 120 years. Now this technology with a little tweak may make some of the current high tech communication systems obsolete. Apparently, Broadband over existing electrical power transmission lines could make every electrical outlet in a home or business an Internet outlet. This concept is based on utility companies sending a simple ``carrier wave’’ down the power lines. Supposedly, this technology would be twice as fast as cable and ten times faster than DSL technology. This scenario of using power transmission lines for voice and data communication would put utility companies in head to head competition cable and phone companies. "
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
CHINA: Deployments of Hi-speed Broadband using FIBEROPTIC and STATE ELECTRIC POWER LINES GRID,
China Announces Broadband Infrastructure Contracts With GTA and Glen Canyon Partners
Friday April 14, 12:00 pm ET
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. & SANTA CRUZ, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 14, 2006--GTA, US division of Genertec, the National Import Export Company of China, and Glen Canyon Partners, California-based consortium of technology providers, announce today the completion of negotiations and agreements providing for the purchase of equipment for 21 million residential broadband locations over the next 42 months using the easement and systems of the State Grid.
The State Grid (China's National Electric Company) has been deploying extensive fiber optic networking throughout China. This network amounts to over one million kilometers of active and dark fiber optic channels. This core infrastructure is now extended to include "the Last Mile" -- the link from major network nodes (electrical substations) to homes, apartments and businesses.
This deployment begins in major cities across China where the fiber optic central system is already mature and used by the State Grid electrical distribution companies for communications and network control. A system of 23 Network Operating Centers (NOCs) have been created to control the architecture, which will represent the single largest operating network to date.
The network is designed to provide an array of Value Added Services including Energy Accounting and Metrology, Voice, Internet, Video and Audio Content. In particular, the network implements the long-term Energy Information Technology (Energy IT) strategies of the State Grid companies, including customer information management, usage, demand control and bill presentment and collection via Internet Protocol (IP) technology. In this technology, Internet-centric techniques are used to provide the working vehicle for information transmission, distribution and funds transfer. Additional content and services are provided on a "pass-through" and cost per service basis to the households -- giving state-of-the-art levels of bandwidth and service at minimal cost.
The Last Mile Systems include broadband fiber optic networking at 1.0 Gigabit per second, coupling to Power Line Carrier (80 and 200 Mbit), RF broadband (124 and 200 Mbit) and wired connections (100 Mbit and 1 Gbit).
Glen Canyon is responsible for the technical configuration, design and procurement of the hardware and information delivery equipment including: Network Appliances, Switching, Routing, Internet Voice Telephony, Streaming equipment for Video Connection and Distribution, Metering (water, gas, electric, heating and cooling), Building Management (thermostats, load control), Alarms and Entry Control. These systems integrate the components of electrical distribution and metrology with the infrastructure necessary to provide broadband, high-capability networking, voice and content.
This deployment began nearly five years ago with the State Grid's "Digital City" programs in Beijing and Shanghai -- implemented by Glen Canyon Partners' early efforts. Now the base extends from 5,000 buildings to extensive and comprehensive installations in major regions of China. This program represents a significant investment on the part of the State Grid Companies to improve its power and data network capability and efficiency throughout the country.
First installations of the Gigabit network will be made in Beijing by Beijing Netinfo Corporation.
THE COMPANIES:
State Grid: Fortune 40 National Electric Company of China.
GTA is the United States subsidiary of Genertec Corporation. GTA provides the financial coordination and banking for the blanket contracts between FibrLink and Glen Canyon.
Glen Canyon Partners is a Santa Cruz California-based consortium of technology providers who performs the overall system integration, procurement and provisioning responsibility for the System Deployment.
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Panasonic will demonstrate its innovative customer-focused approach to home networking -- HD-PLC = High-Definition Power Line Communication.
Consumer-Electronics Leader Panasonic to Showcase its Latest Home Networking Technology at CONNECTIONS(TM)
CONNECTIONS 2006: The Digital Home Conference
DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 13, 2006--CONNECTIONS(TM) today announced Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal U.S. subsidiary of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (NYSE:MC) as a Diamond Sponsor for its 2006 event, which will take place at the Santa Clara Convention Center, May 2-4, 2006.
CONNECTIONS(TM): The Digital Home Conference and Showcase, produced by Parks Associates in partnership with the Consumer Electronics Association, is the largest executive conference and showcase dedicated to advanced digital lifestyle solutions for residential and mobile environments. This year's conference topics include digital entertainment, mobile platforms & services, home networking & infrastructure, home management & digital health, and broadband & IP services.
At CONNECTIONS(TM) 2006, Panasonic will demonstrate its innovative customer-focused approach to home networking -- HD-PLC (High-Definition Power Line Communication). This new technology makes it possible to easily establish a powerful, robust, high-bandwidth network using ordinary household power lines. HD-PLC allows transmission of digital data, including HDTV video, Internet, and VoIP.
According to Parks Associates, which recently completed the multinational project Global Digital Living(TM) (GDL), the total number of households worldwide with a data networking solutions will grow from nearly 100 million at the end of 2006 to nearly 145 million by the end of 2010.
"The home network is the heart of the digital home, as it creates linkages for compelling content, information, and resources, and among a growing array of consumer electronics, communications, and home computing platforms," said Kurt Scherf, Vice President of Parks Associates. "Panasonic's expertise in developing digital products and its consistent focus on consumer ease of use are significant assets for the emerging Digital Lifestyle markets, and we are pleased to have them at CONNECTIONS(TM)."
For information about CONNECTIONS(TM), visit http://www.connectionsconference.com
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
CONNECTIONS 2006: The Digital Home Conference
DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 13, 2006--CONNECTIONS(TM) today announced Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal U.S. subsidiary of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (NYSE:MC) as a Diamond Sponsor for its 2006 event, which will take place at the Santa Clara Convention Center, May 2-4, 2006.
CONNECTIONS(TM): The Digital Home Conference and Showcase, produced by Parks Associates in partnership with the Consumer Electronics Association, is the largest executive conference and showcase dedicated to advanced digital lifestyle solutions for residential and mobile environments. This year's conference topics include digital entertainment, mobile platforms & services, home networking & infrastructure, home management & digital health, and broadband & IP services.
At CONNECTIONS(TM) 2006, Panasonic will demonstrate its innovative customer-focused approach to home networking -- HD-PLC (High-Definition Power Line Communication). This new technology makes it possible to easily establish a powerful, robust, high-bandwidth network using ordinary household power lines. HD-PLC allows transmission of digital data, including HDTV video, Internet, and VoIP.
According to Parks Associates, which recently completed the multinational project Global Digital Living(TM) (GDL), the total number of households worldwide with a data networking solutions will grow from nearly 100 million at the end of 2006 to nearly 145 million by the end of 2010.
"The home network is the heart of the digital home, as it creates linkages for compelling content, information, and resources, and among a growing array of consumer electronics, communications, and home computing platforms," said Kurt Scherf, Vice President of Parks Associates. "Panasonic's expertise in developing digital products and its consistent focus on consumer ease of use are significant assets for the emerging Digital Lifestyle markets, and we are pleased to have them at CONNECTIONS(TM)."
For information about CONNECTIONS(TM), visit http://www.connectionsconference.com
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
View--> DRAFT DECISION OF California COMMISSIONER CHONG: OPINION IMPLEMENTING POLICY ON BROADBAND OVER POWER LINES
BEFORE THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
Order Instituting Rulemaking concerning Broadband Over Power Line deployment by electric utilities in California.
Rulemaking 05-09-006
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
Order Instituting Rulemaking concerning Broadband Over Power Line deployment by electric utilities in California.
Rulemaking 05-09-006
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
BPL gets boost in California
Apr 13, 2006
Broadband over power line (BPL) technology has long been considered a potentially beneficial technology, but it's use has been limited to a few prototype projects in the United States and Europe. The Federal Communications Commission in the US has also backed the technology, but it's largely been considered a broadband delivery mechanism for rural areas that aren't served by cable or DSL technologies.
This might be about to change.
California's Public Utility Commission is expected to approve a proposal that would allow state power utilities to form separate companies to develop and sell BPL to consumers. The proposal also authorizes a utility to grant the new entities free access to their networks. San Diego’s utility, Sempra, says it would consider establishing a BPL service and have its gas and electric utility grant that business free access to its network forever. Basically, BPL would run free over the power lines (although consumers would pay a fee.)
This move is significant for a number of reasons. First, it could prove the commercial and technical viability of BPL once and for all. California has a robust, competitive broadband market with cable companies and telcos providing relatively inexpensive and reliable (by American standards, that is) broadband service. Some cities such as San Francisco are even planning to provide free Wi-Fi service throughout the city in a partnership with EarthLink. Now there could be another alternative, and one that could likely be bundled with utility service, placing yet another crimp in the escalating triple-play debate. Now the MSOs and telcos have something beside other each other to worry about.
It's also interesting to see how this BPL initiative is playing out politically. The other state utilities are strongly opposed to free access forever because they don't want to be in the broadband business. They'd rather negotiate with outside service providers to offer the BPL service, charge more for the access and split any profits with utility ratepayers. They label this the landlord model. Various consumer groups in the state are also against the free model. They argue that utility customers would be subsidizing BPL while utility shareholders would reap the profits.
Some environmentalists, meanwhile, argue that BPL interferes with radio transmissions, including ham radios that have been useful during past natural disasters such as earthquakes. Some warn the technology creates more problems than it solves.
Still, California's action is significant because it could jump-start a largely dormant technology and push the heavily capitalized utility industry into the broadband business (directly or in partnership with service providers.) Of course, the real question here is whether the public really desires BPL. Can it emerge as a viable commercial alternative to DSL, satellite, wireless and cable technologies? The residents of California may have the answers.
(Al Senia is the editor of America's Network.)
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
Broadband over power line (BPL) technology has long been considered a potentially beneficial technology, but it's use has been limited to a few prototype projects in the United States and Europe. The Federal Communications Commission in the US has also backed the technology, but it's largely been considered a broadband delivery mechanism for rural areas that aren't served by cable or DSL technologies.
This might be about to change.
California's Public Utility Commission is expected to approve a proposal that would allow state power utilities to form separate companies to develop and sell BPL to consumers. The proposal also authorizes a utility to grant the new entities free access to their networks. San Diego’s utility, Sempra, says it would consider establishing a BPL service and have its gas and electric utility grant that business free access to its network forever. Basically, BPL would run free over the power lines (although consumers would pay a fee.)
This move is significant for a number of reasons. First, it could prove the commercial and technical viability of BPL once and for all. California has a robust, competitive broadband market with cable companies and telcos providing relatively inexpensive and reliable (by American standards, that is) broadband service. Some cities such as San Francisco are even planning to provide free Wi-Fi service throughout the city in a partnership with EarthLink. Now there could be another alternative, and one that could likely be bundled with utility service, placing yet another crimp in the escalating triple-play debate. Now the MSOs and telcos have something beside other each other to worry about.
It's also interesting to see how this BPL initiative is playing out politically. The other state utilities are strongly opposed to free access forever because they don't want to be in the broadband business. They'd rather negotiate with outside service providers to offer the BPL service, charge more for the access and split any profits with utility ratepayers. They label this the landlord model. Various consumer groups in the state are also against the free model. They argue that utility customers would be subsidizing BPL while utility shareholders would reap the profits.
Some environmentalists, meanwhile, argue that BPL interferes with radio transmissions, including ham radios that have been useful during past natural disasters such as earthquakes. Some warn the technology creates more problems than it solves.
Still, California's action is significant because it could jump-start a largely dormant technology and push the heavily capitalized utility industry into the broadband business (directly or in partnership with service providers.) Of course, the real question here is whether the public really desires BPL. Can it emerge as a viable commercial alternative to DSL, satellite, wireless and cable technologies? The residents of California may have the answers.
(Al Senia is the editor of America's Network.)
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
AUSTRALIA: Broadband over Power Lines trial nears commercialisation despite interference claims
Howard Dahdah, PC World
13/04/2006 14:13:52
Claims by amateur wireless operators that signals from TasTel's Hobart high speed Broadband over Power Lines (BPL) trial are transmitting on marine distress and safety channels have been dismissed by the telco, instead saying its service is compliant with regulations, so much so that a full commercial rollout may be possible later this year.
Monitoring of the TasTel, a subsidiary of electricity distributor Aurora Energy, BPL trial by a local amateur radio operator has revealed that the system is radiating signals on the 2, 6, 8, 12 and 16 MHz radio-telephone and DSC (digital selective calling) distress and safety channels.
These channels are used by ships to send and receive distress alerts, said Glenn Dunstan, director of the WIA.
"If the BPL enabled power lines pass by a marine radio station (they don't at the moment), the interference from the BPL signals will block reception of distress messages from ships.
"The point is that it appears Aurora are in breach of the ACMA BPL trial guidelines, which specifically prohibit BPL from radiating signals on marine distress and safety channels."
Aurora Energy business development manager, Piero Peroni, dismissed the latest findings as "rubbish".
"Unless a boat sailed under the power lines there won't be interference."
He said the trial was able to "notch out" certain frequencies used by emergency services. This allowed TasTel to avoid transmitting over certain frequencies.
Peroni said the only independent voice in the trial was the regulator, Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), who are monitoring the trial closely.
"A handful of operators will continue to be against the product. But the important thing is we all have an open relationship with the ACMA."
Dunstan said the ramifications could be serious.
"If the signals are not supposed to be radiated now, how can BPL providers guarantee that they will not be radiated from a system which does pass by a coast radio station?
"It will be too late to address this problem when a distress signal is blocked by BPL...."
Despite these concerns the TasTel trial, which delivers broadband speeds up to 200Mbps, is moving at pace with commercialisation possible before the year is out.
"We are in the process of developing a plan of where we may take it. There will be an announcement in the next four to five months," said Peroni.
The BPL trial was launched by TasTel in September last year in the suburb of Tolmans Hill, at the foothills of Mt Wellington, near Hobart. In December, it was extended to selected areas of the regional city of Burnie.
"The penetration [subscribers] rate is outstanding. We are more than happy with it. It is more than we expected," Peroni said.
Because the trial has used "bleeding edge" technology from its partner Mitsubishi, it has not been without its glitches. "It has been painful at times. We have changed a lot of our techniques, but we have constantly been progressing."
Pricing for the plans starts from $14.95 right up to $79.95. All trial customers get a free modem and no contract.
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
Central America Businesses Are Now Empowered to Enter the Global Economy Through Broadband Over Power Lines or BPL
Wednesday April 12, 5:07 pm ET
DORAL, Fla., April 12 /PRNewswire/ -- ANEW Broadband "lights up" one of Managua's largest shopping centers. Paul Choiseul, Chief Technology Officer for the Miami-based telecommunications services provider and broadband over power line integrator, flew to Managua, Nicaragua last week to oversee the installation of ANEW permanent MDU/BPL deployment. The solution combines Motorola's pre WIMAX wireless system for backhaul with broadband over power line systems targeting buildings, condominiums and municipalities in South Florida and several new deployments throughout Latin America.
As the Internet continues to become the backbone of the international economy, Miami and ANEW are at the center with the right location and the state-of-the-art IT infrastructure. Together they have become the high-tech link between the United States, our neighbors to the South, Europe and the rest of the world. As an example, the NAP of the Americas in Miami is the "landing point" of international undersea cables, multiple power grids, and other telecom infrastructure investment. South Florida is now the dominant connecting point to the Caribbean and Latin America. "We are being very successful bringing our expertise to the marketplace in the Americas and we expect this to be an area of significant growth for our company," said Daniel Contreras, Chief Executive officer for ANEW Broadband.
"BPL is good news for consumers and for competitive service providers alike. ANEW plans to launch a bundled package of Internet access, voice and video, also called "Triple Play." More choices will put pressure on the cable and telephone companies but at the end will help consumer choice and Internet equality. The offers are expected to be available by the end of the year, in selected markets," said Carlos Lopez, Chief Marketing officer for ANEW Broadband.
ANEW was hired by Nicaraguan wireless networking firm Sistematica to deploy a system in one of Nicaragua's largest shopping centers. Sistematica has over 15 years of experience with wireless deployment and contributed to the fast turn-around on the backhaul of the network, said Choiseul. He arrived by plane on a Sunday and the wireless backhaul was installed and working by Monday. The gear took a mere three hours to install and instantly every electrical outlet at every store under our electric transformer had broadband service. Nicaragua has the second-lowest teledensity in Latin America only after Haiti, said a report from Australian research firm Totel. The government privatized telecommunications in 2004, said the report. Now Telcor is "very friendly and open to new entrants" in the telecom industry, said Choiseul. The Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) created a springboard for new telecommunications businesses in Nicaragua and neighboring countries, he explained, and the nation's stability and economic growth helped bring investment and new business.
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
DORAL, Fla., April 12 /PRNewswire/ -- ANEW Broadband "lights up" one of Managua's largest shopping centers. Paul Choiseul, Chief Technology Officer for the Miami-based telecommunications services provider and broadband over power line integrator, flew to Managua, Nicaragua last week to oversee the installation of ANEW permanent MDU/BPL deployment. The solution combines Motorola's pre WIMAX wireless system for backhaul with broadband over power line systems targeting buildings, condominiums and municipalities in South Florida and several new deployments throughout Latin America.
As the Internet continues to become the backbone of the international economy, Miami and ANEW are at the center with the right location and the state-of-the-art IT infrastructure. Together they have become the high-tech link between the United States, our neighbors to the South, Europe and the rest of the world. As an example, the NAP of the Americas in Miami is the "landing point" of international undersea cables, multiple power grids, and other telecom infrastructure investment. South Florida is now the dominant connecting point to the Caribbean and Latin America. "We are being very successful bringing our expertise to the marketplace in the Americas and we expect this to be an area of significant growth for our company," said Daniel Contreras, Chief Executive officer for ANEW Broadband.
"BPL is good news for consumers and for competitive service providers alike. ANEW plans to launch a bundled package of Internet access, voice and video, also called "Triple Play." More choices will put pressure on the cable and telephone companies but at the end will help consumer choice and Internet equality. The offers are expected to be available by the end of the year, in selected markets," said Carlos Lopez, Chief Marketing officer for ANEW Broadband.
ANEW was hired by Nicaraguan wireless networking firm Sistematica to deploy a system in one of Nicaragua's largest shopping centers. Sistematica has over 15 years of experience with wireless deployment and contributed to the fast turn-around on the backhaul of the network, said Choiseul. He arrived by plane on a Sunday and the wireless backhaul was installed and working by Monday. The gear took a mere three hours to install and instantly every electrical outlet at every store under our electric transformer had broadband service. Nicaragua has the second-lowest teledensity in Latin America only after Haiti, said a report from Australian research firm Totel. The government privatized telecommunications in 2004, said the report. Now Telcor is "very friendly and open to new entrants" in the telecom industry, said Choiseul. The Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) created a springboard for new telecommunications businesses in Nicaragua and neighboring countries, he explained, and the nation's stability and economic growth helped bring investment and new business.
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
IQPC 3rd Annual Broadband Over Powerline 2006: Large-scale BPL Deployments Symposium !!!
July 25 - 26, 2006 · Hilton Garden Inn, Dallas, TX
Benefits Of Attending Broadband Over Powerline (BPL) 2006
In 2005 Google, Goldman Sachs and the Hearst Corporation combined $100 million to invest in Broadband Over Powerline (BPL). Since then we have seen a shift towards large-scale deployment of BPL - are we finally reaching the crest of the wave?
Despite the surge in large-scale BPL deployments, a number of questions must still be on your mind:
How is the business case for core applications alongside commercial BPL growing?
Is the development of WiFi, WiMax and other alternative technologies providing you with even more opportunities via 'combination systems'?
How will you identify when the time is right?
Core applications vs. commercial roll out: which is best for you?
IQPC is delighted to announce the 3rd Annual Broadband Over Powerline conference which has been designed with you in mind to ensure that you are provided with all the answers you need to decide the best BPL strategy for your organisation and guarantee you are fully prepared.
Whether you are a cooperative, municipality or an investor-owned utility, Broadband Over Powerline 2006 is two action-packed days designed to provide you with a unique opportunity to meet with utility companies who are actually doing BPL.
What Will You Learn?
Join your peers and other industry experts to:
Leverage BPL to reduce cost, increase efficiencies and enhance services for your core business through core applications
Achieve regulatory clarity and understand what restrictions are in place
Understand the status of global standardization and BPL technology
Get a handle on the possibilities and optimization of in-home networking / LAN BPL and how it can help your business
Understand the latest implications of WiFi and WiMax on BPL and whether these are complementary or a competitive technology development
Plus, don't miss out on the chance to hear from a select number of global case studies to build up a picture of the status of BPL deployment elsewhere in order to benchmark yourself.
Confirmed Speakers Include:
Leif Ericson, Business Development Manager, Southern Telecom
John Newbury, Head of Power Systems Communications Research, Open University (UK)
Connie Hughes, Commissioner, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities
Ed Hare, Laboratory Manager, ARRL
Brett Kilbourne, Director of Regulatory Services, UPLC
Greg McKelfresh, Director of Information Services, SCI REMC
John Hewa, Utilities Director, City of Manassas Utilities
Take this opportunity to meet with other utility companies, potential partners and technology providers to get all your questions answered and take away the tools to help enable your organization's decisions regarding BPL deployment. If you can only attend one event this year make sure it's Broadband Over Powerline 2006.
"Now, California regulators want to encourage the development of high-speed Internet access over power lines."
From the Los Angeles Times
Tapping Power to Boost Broadband
State regulators envision Internet access over electrical lines. But the details draw criticism.
By James S. Granelli
Times Staff Writer
April 12, 2006
For years, phone and cable lines have been the way most people hook up to the Internet.
Now, California regulators want to encourage the development of high-speed Internet access over power lines.
The proposal to be considered Thursday by the Public Utilities Commission would allow power utilities to create separate entities to develop and sell broadband over power line, or BPL, service to consumers. Critics contend that the plan would, in effect, force electricity customers to subsidize the still nascent technology.
Worse, they said, the proposal contains an option that allows a utility to give those entities free access to their networks.
Commissioner Rachelle Chong, who has been revising parts of the proposal, said that encouraging the development of broadband over power lines "is one more way to cover that last mile into the home."
"We're giving the utilities the freedom to take any approach they want," she said.
But so far only the smallest of the major utilities, San Diego Gas & Electric Co., a subsidiary of Sempra Energy, supports the free-access provision.
The provision is "a giveaway of ratepayer assets to utilities and affiliates, primarily to Sempra because it's the only company that would benefit by setting up an affiliate to provide BPL," said Michael Shames, executive director of the Utility Consumers' Action Network.
The push for power-line broadband relies on a technology that may not be ready to compete with digital subscriber line and cable modem service, whose combined control of the market could deter any new entrant. Only a handful of locales — Manassas, Va., parts of Cincinnati and a few small areas elsewhere in the U.S. — are using the power grid to sell high-speed Internet access commercially.
"There are hard questions about whether BPL is going to be able to compete with two very entrenched competitors," said Paul S. Phillips, senior policy analyst at the PUC's Division of Ratepayer Advocates.
Sempra has said that it would set up a unit to operate power-line broadband service and its utility, San Diego Gas & Electric, would give that entity free access to its network forever.
In addition to selling Internet access, the unit would sell San Diego Gas & Electric broadband services to help it run more efficiently. Those services would include remote meter reading, video monitoring of sites and electronic troubleshooting to determine outages before customers start calling.
Although they could save the utility money, the services' costs would be passed on to San Diego Gas & Electric ratepayers, and the profit would end up with Sempra and its shareholders.
And because the access would be free forever, there wouldn't be any future review of an increase in value. The Chong proposal would waive hearings on exempting utilities from bans on dealings with affiliates.
Under the free-access provision, the cost of the high-speed lines would be set at zero, avoiding any requirement to share profits with ratepayers.
"The BPL signal rides for free on the power line because it imposes no additional cost," Chong said.
Bill Nusbaum, chief telecom counsel at the Utility Reform Network, said the proposal was "a gift, an absolute gift, but not to ratepayers."
Strong objections from Southern California Edison Co. and Pacific Gas & Electric prompted Chong on Tuesday to add an option that would let utilities charge more for access and split fees with ratepayers.
Edison, a unit of Rosemead-based Edison International, and Pacific Gas & Electric, a subsidiary of PG&E Corp., want to be able to negotiate contracts with third parties in a sort of landlord-tenant arrangement and get paid for the use of the power lines, passing some profit on to consumers in the form of lower electricity rates.
"We're pleased the PUC is looking at a decision that encourages BPL by removing obstacles and uncertainty," Pacific Gas & Electric spokesman Paul Moreno said. "But we embrace the landlord model."
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
Tapping Power to Boost Broadband
State regulators envision Internet access over electrical lines. But the details draw criticism.
By James S. Granelli
Times Staff Writer
April 12, 2006
For years, phone and cable lines have been the way most people hook up to the Internet.
Now, California regulators want to encourage the development of high-speed Internet access over power lines.
The proposal to be considered Thursday by the Public Utilities Commission would allow power utilities to create separate entities to develop and sell broadband over power line, or BPL, service to consumers. Critics contend that the plan would, in effect, force electricity customers to subsidize the still nascent technology.
Worse, they said, the proposal contains an option that allows a utility to give those entities free access to their networks.
Commissioner Rachelle Chong, who has been revising parts of the proposal, said that encouraging the development of broadband over power lines "is one more way to cover that last mile into the home."
"We're giving the utilities the freedom to take any approach they want," she said.
But so far only the smallest of the major utilities, San Diego Gas & Electric Co., a subsidiary of Sempra Energy, supports the free-access provision.
The provision is "a giveaway of ratepayer assets to utilities and affiliates, primarily to Sempra because it's the only company that would benefit by setting up an affiliate to provide BPL," said Michael Shames, executive director of the Utility Consumers' Action Network.
The push for power-line broadband relies on a technology that may not be ready to compete with digital subscriber line and cable modem service, whose combined control of the market could deter any new entrant. Only a handful of locales — Manassas, Va., parts of Cincinnati and a few small areas elsewhere in the U.S. — are using the power grid to sell high-speed Internet access commercially.
"There are hard questions about whether BPL is going to be able to compete with two very entrenched competitors," said Paul S. Phillips, senior policy analyst at the PUC's Division of Ratepayer Advocates.
Sempra has said that it would set up a unit to operate power-line broadband service and its utility, San Diego Gas & Electric, would give that entity free access to its network forever.
In addition to selling Internet access, the unit would sell San Diego Gas & Electric broadband services to help it run more efficiently. Those services would include remote meter reading, video monitoring of sites and electronic troubleshooting to determine outages before customers start calling.
Although they could save the utility money, the services' costs would be passed on to San Diego Gas & Electric ratepayers, and the profit would end up with Sempra and its shareholders.
And because the access would be free forever, there wouldn't be any future review of an increase in value. The Chong proposal would waive hearings on exempting utilities from bans on dealings with affiliates.
Under the free-access provision, the cost of the high-speed lines would be set at zero, avoiding any requirement to share profits with ratepayers.
"The BPL signal rides for free on the power line because it imposes no additional cost," Chong said.
Bill Nusbaum, chief telecom counsel at the Utility Reform Network, said the proposal was "a gift, an absolute gift, but not to ratepayers."
Strong objections from Southern California Edison Co. and Pacific Gas & Electric prompted Chong on Tuesday to add an option that would let utilities charge more for access and split fees with ratepayers.
Edison, a unit of Rosemead-based Edison International, and Pacific Gas & Electric, a subsidiary of PG&E Corp., want to be able to negotiate contracts with third parties in a sort of landlord-tenant arrangement and get paid for the use of the power lines, passing some profit on to consumers in the form of lower electricity rates.
"We're pleased the PUC is looking at a decision that encourages BPL by removing obstacles and uncertainty," Pacific Gas & Electric spokesman Paul Moreno said. "But we embrace the landlord model."
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
Mannasas,Va COMTek to FCC: report no interference attributable to BPL.
Clearer air for Manassas hams
By JACLYN PITTS
jpitts@manassasjm.com
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Clearer communication may be in the air for Manassas-area amateur radio operators.
Amateur radio enthusiasts have been battling alleged interference from broadband over power line technology in the city since the autumn of 2003, when Manassas first implemented the system.
Now Communication Technologies Inc. (COMTek) is updating its "grandfathered" equipment to the latest technology offered by BPL equipment supplier Main.Net.
COMTek spokesman Scott Stapf said the company has begun upgrading about 600 overhead lines.
Stapf said the company hopes to have upgraded all overhead lines by November.
By upgrading the equipment, any interference to shortwave radios should be eliminated, Stapf said.
But for many local amateur radio users, or hams, upgrading overhead lines isn't enough.
George Tarnovsky, vice president for Ole Virginia Hams, a local ham radio group, said he thinks COMTek has continually avoided addressing underground BPL lines.
Tarnovsky cited one of his own interference surveys on Hastings Drive and Wellington Road, where he's experienced interference he attributes to BPL.
Both of those areas are served by underground BPL lines, Tarnovsky said.
However, he said upgrading the above ground equipment will help.
Manassas became the first American municipality to implement the technology citywide in 2003.
By plugging a modem into any city electrical outlet, subscribers can get high-speed Internet access for about $29 per month, approximately half of what cable and DSL providers charge.
BPL radiates off power lines and can make certain shortwave radio frequencies inaudible.
COMTek's BPL service runs through the city's power grid and has nearly 1,000 subscribers.
The company's announcement rides on the heels of the Federal Communications Commission's request that Manassas and the company investigate interference allegations and take steps to eliminate interference.
COMTek sent its preliminary interference findings to the FCC on Thursday, which cited no interference attributable to BPL.
"The reality here is that the test results speak for themselves," Stapf said.
However, Stapf said the company will continue to test for interference.
Tarnovsky questioned the survey's findings.
The survey group tested for interference while the BPL system was in operation and when it was shut off.
But Tarnovsky thinks this "on/off" testing was done in spurts, so the full effects of interference wouldn't have been noticeable.
COMTek's equipment upgrade plan isn't the company's first attempt to eliminate potential interference.
The frequencies used by hams in Manassas have been "notched," or removed from use by BPL.
COMTek announced in January it had notched about 600 overhead BPL devices.
Tarnovsky is certain that ham radio interference is due to BPL.
Prior to the system's deployment in 2003, Tarnovsky said he and fellow amateur radio enthusiasts only experienced occasional interference from power lines, which was easily corrected.
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
By JACLYN PITTS
jpitts@manassasjm.com
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Clearer communication may be in the air for Manassas-area amateur radio operators.
Amateur radio enthusiasts have been battling alleged interference from broadband over power line technology in the city since the autumn of 2003, when Manassas first implemented the system.
Now Communication Technologies Inc. (COMTek) is updating its "grandfathered" equipment to the latest technology offered by BPL equipment supplier Main.Net.
COMTek spokesman Scott Stapf said the company has begun upgrading about 600 overhead lines.
Stapf said the company hopes to have upgraded all overhead lines by November.
By upgrading the equipment, any interference to shortwave radios should be eliminated, Stapf said.
But for many local amateur radio users, or hams, upgrading overhead lines isn't enough.
George Tarnovsky, vice president for Ole Virginia Hams, a local ham radio group, said he thinks COMTek has continually avoided addressing underground BPL lines.
Tarnovsky cited one of his own interference surveys on Hastings Drive and Wellington Road, where he's experienced interference he attributes to BPL.
Both of those areas are served by underground BPL lines, Tarnovsky said.
However, he said upgrading the above ground equipment will help.
Manassas became the first American municipality to implement the technology citywide in 2003.
By plugging a modem into any city electrical outlet, subscribers can get high-speed Internet access for about $29 per month, approximately half of what cable and DSL providers charge.
BPL radiates off power lines and can make certain shortwave radio frequencies inaudible.
COMTek's BPL service runs through the city's power grid and has nearly 1,000 subscribers.
The company's announcement rides on the heels of the Federal Communications Commission's request that Manassas and the company investigate interference allegations and take steps to eliminate interference.
COMTek sent its preliminary interference findings to the FCC on Thursday, which cited no interference attributable to BPL.
"The reality here is that the test results speak for themselves," Stapf said.
However, Stapf said the company will continue to test for interference.
Tarnovsky questioned the survey's findings.
The survey group tested for interference while the BPL system was in operation and when it was shut off.
But Tarnovsky thinks this "on/off" testing was done in spurts, so the full effects of interference wouldn't have been noticeable.
COMTek's equipment upgrade plan isn't the company's first attempt to eliminate potential interference.
The frequencies used by hams in Manassas have been "notched," or removed from use by BPL.
COMTek announced in January it had notched about 600 overhead BPL devices.
Tarnovsky is certain that ham radio interference is due to BPL.
Prior to the system's deployment in 2003, Tarnovsky said he and fellow amateur radio enthusiasts only experienced occasional interference from power lines, which was easily corrected.
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Powerline Communications Help Deliver Broadband Services Virtually Everywhere
Monday April 10, 8:45 am ET
PALO ALTO, Calif., April 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Several technical challenges such as signal attenuation issues, noise issues and signal leakage issues hamper the growth of powerline communications. These factors are being addressed through means of various research and development efforts. The omnipresence of electric grids coupled with the high data speeds offered by powerlines can enable the delivery of broadband services virtually everywhere.
Frost & Sullivan (http://www.technicalinsights.frost.com ) finds that the infrastructures for powerlines are extensive and are already available in place. Communications through powerlines do not require any change in the underlying infrastructure. Unlike structured wiring technologies such as unshielded twisted pair cable for telephones, which require laying of cables, powerline communication systems can make use of the existing wiring.
If you are interested in a virtual brochure, which provides manufacturers, end users, and other industry participants an overview of the latest analysis of Powerline Communications- A Technology Analysis, then send an e-mail to Trisha Bradley, Corporate Communications at trisha.bradley@frost.com with the following information: your full name, company name, title, telephone number, e-mail address, city, state, and country. The brochure will be e-mailed to you upon receipt of this information.
"The ubiquitous nature of powerlines has been the biggest driving force for powerline communications," says Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Amreetha Vijayakumar.
Any home environment or residential environment is already equipped with powerlines and most devices that need to network are connected to the alternating current (AC) wiring. To set up a powerline networking at home, the user requires a PLC modem to connect the device to the AC power supply.
Powerline communications offers excellent data transmission speeds, but they have signal leakage and interference issues which has slowed down the penetration of this technology into the market.
Applications that involve high-speed data transmissions such as broadband over powerline are distributed using the frequency spectrum ranging between 2 MHz to 80 MHz, but this block of the frequency spectrum is also used by high frequency applications and devices and some lower band very high frequency spectrum land mobile services.
"The radio frequency signals generated by the powerlines are not shielded and they can easily cause interference to communication devices operating in the same range," notes Vijayakumar. "Signal leakage is a key area of concern because most radio services operate in this spectrum."
The signal interference and leakage issues evoked the concerns of various regulatory and communication organizations around the world. Several trial projects were conducted to prove the possibility of co-existence of amateur radios and powerlines. Most of the regulatory bodies around the world have now given a go-ahead signal after considering the results of these experiments.
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
PALO ALTO, Calif., April 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Several technical challenges such as signal attenuation issues, noise issues and signal leakage issues hamper the growth of powerline communications. These factors are being addressed through means of various research and development efforts. The omnipresence of electric grids coupled with the high data speeds offered by powerlines can enable the delivery of broadband services virtually everywhere.
Frost & Sullivan (http://www.technicalinsights.frost.com ) finds that the infrastructures for powerlines are extensive and are already available in place. Communications through powerlines do not require any change in the underlying infrastructure. Unlike structured wiring technologies such as unshielded twisted pair cable for telephones, which require laying of cables, powerline communication systems can make use of the existing wiring.
If you are interested in a virtual brochure, which provides manufacturers, end users, and other industry participants an overview of the latest analysis of Powerline Communications- A Technology Analysis, then send an e-mail to Trisha Bradley, Corporate Communications at trisha.bradley@frost.com with the following information: your full name, company name, title, telephone number, e-mail address, city, state, and country. The brochure will be e-mailed to you upon receipt of this information.
"The ubiquitous nature of powerlines has been the biggest driving force for powerline communications," says Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Amreetha Vijayakumar.
Any home environment or residential environment is already equipped with powerlines and most devices that need to network are connected to the alternating current (AC) wiring. To set up a powerline networking at home, the user requires a PLC modem to connect the device to the AC power supply.
Powerline communications offers excellent data transmission speeds, but they have signal leakage and interference issues which has slowed down the penetration of this technology into the market.
Applications that involve high-speed data transmissions such as broadband over powerline are distributed using the frequency spectrum ranging between 2 MHz to 80 MHz, but this block of the frequency spectrum is also used by high frequency applications and devices and some lower band very high frequency spectrum land mobile services.
"The radio frequency signals generated by the powerlines are not shielded and they can easily cause interference to communication devices operating in the same range," notes Vijayakumar. "Signal leakage is a key area of concern because most radio services operate in this spectrum."
The signal interference and leakage issues evoked the concerns of various regulatory and communication organizations around the world. Several trial projects were conducted to prove the possibility of co-existence of amateur radios and powerlines. Most of the regulatory bodies around the world have now given a go-ahead signal after considering the results of these experiments.
The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
Saturday, April 08, 2006
BROADBAND over POWER LINES rollout expanded in Mannasas, Virginia !!!
BPL service moves forward in Manassas, Va.
Interference with ham radio signals has been stopped
News Story by Matt Hamblen
APRIL 07, 2006 (COMPUTERWORLD) - A broadband-over-power-line (BPL) network is growing in Manassas, Va., and should reach 1,000 customers by early summer, the BPL service provider said today.
Communication Technologies Inc. (COMTek), in Chantilly, Va., said it has about 600 homes and small businesses already using the service. Home-based BPL service costs $28.95 a month ($39.95 a month for a businesses) and offers up to 3.5 Mbit/sec. download speeds.
The emerging technology faced opposition from an amateur radio user in Manassas who filed a complaint with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission about interference from the BPL network.
However, COMTek filed a response with the FCC yesterday citing an independent testing lab’s findings that no interference could be found on certain ham radio frequencies that could be attributed to BPL.
COMTek said it had “notched” all of its 600 BPL devices in mid-January to prevent interference, meaning it turned off the ability of the BPL devices to use certain frequencies preferred by amateur radio users.
COMTek also said today that it plans to upgrade all of its devices --as well as new ones coming online -- to second-generation technology that will further reduce the possibility of interference.
BPL operates via a radio signal sent along a power line.
Interference with ham radio signals has been stopped
News Story by Matt Hamblen
APRIL 07, 2006 (COMPUTERWORLD) - A broadband-over-power-line (BPL) network is growing in Manassas, Va., and should reach 1,000 customers by early summer, the BPL service provider said today.
Communication Technologies Inc. (COMTek), in Chantilly, Va., said it has about 600 homes and small businesses already using the service. Home-based BPL service costs $28.95 a month ($39.95 a month for a businesses) and offers up to 3.5 Mbit/sec. download speeds.
The emerging technology faced opposition from an amateur radio user in Manassas who filed a complaint with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission about interference from the BPL network.
However, COMTek filed a response with the FCC yesterday citing an independent testing lab’s findings that no interference could be found on certain ham radio frequencies that could be attributed to BPL.
COMTek said it had “notched” all of its 600 BPL devices in mid-January to prevent interference, meaning it turned off the ability of the BPL devices to use certain frequencies preferred by amateur radio users.
COMTek also said today that it plans to upgrade all of its devices --as well as new ones coming online -- to second-generation technology that will further reduce the possibility of interference.
BPL operates via a radio signal sent along a power line.
Friday, April 07, 2006
click ==> the Biggest BROADBAND over POWER LINES 2006 Symposium: Deployment of Broadband over Power Lines !!!
May 21-24, 2006
Tampa, Florida, U.S.A.
just few days left and counting... join now !!!
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Report: Power Companies Poised to Enter Race to Deliver Broadband Services
SILVER SPRING, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2006--US electric power companies are poised to join the multi-industry competition to provide broadband services to homes and businesses.
That's the conclusion reached in a new study by Pike & Fischer, Silver Spring, MD, on the burgeoning Broadband Over Power Lines (BPL) industry.
Seven power companies are already delivering broadband services in the US, and many more could follow soon, according to the respected research and publishing company. The power companies comprise yet another industry in the race--already joined by satellite TV, cable TV and telephone carriers--to deliver Internet and other broadband services.
The researchers found that at least 26 power firms are already using BPL technology for internal utility applications, including monitoring, diagnostics and automation. Most of those companies have not yet focused on the transmission function of their networks.
The 45-page study, published by Pike & Fischer's Broadband Advisory Services, lists all the companies currently involved in BPL. In each case, it details what third-party BPL service provider they are using (if any), the scope of their involvement, and who is supplying the company with BPL equipment. It also profiles the equipment providers.
Other sections discuss federal and state regulations governing BPL technology, with special attention on Texas, California and New York. The report features a detailed account of a recent conference sponsored by the United Power Line Council on BPL technology, including predictions offered by many of the conference presenters.
The US trails Europe and Asia in BPL use, principally because the foreign nations employ 240-volt electrical systems that serve many more homes per transformer than the 120-volt system used here.
City of Oslo to Cut Streetlight Energy Costs by 30% While Increasing Roadway Safety Using Echelon Technology
(San Jose, CA - April 6, 2006) - Echelon Corporation (NASDAQ: ELON), a global networking company providing technology and solutions for controls, smart metering, and energy conservation today announced that the City of Oslo is using Echelon's technology to remotely control and monitor streetlights in the city. This intelligent outdoor lighting system is the first large scale implementation of a control network in a street lighting application in a city in Europe, and is expected to reduce energy usage by 50 percent, improve roadway safety, and minimize maintenance costs. The project calls for the installation over the next three years of 55,000 intelligent street light ballasts that communicate over existing power lines using Echelon's power line technology. The first 6,500 light poles have already been installed. In addition to using Echelon's power line technology in the ballasts, the light poles communicate with Echelon's i.LON® 100 Internet Servers acting as segment controllers, which in turn communicate with the City of Oslo control center over a wireless wide-area network.
Download High Resolution image by clicking on the image
"Echelon's technology gives us total control of our street lighting system, and will lower energy, operations, and maintenance costs while ensuring proper roadway illumination required for public safety. The significant energy and maintenance savings that will be achieved will pay for the new system, with an overall return on investment expected within five years," said Tom Kristoffersen, head of section operations and maintenance for the City of Oslo. "Echelon's technology is already an international open standard in other industries, making it a proven, safe, and reliable technology choice as well as a fiscally responsible one – even for a large scale project such as ours despite this installation being one of the first of its kind in the street lighting industry."
The City of Oslo project has generated significant interest from other cities in Europe, and is the basis for the recent E-Street initiative, a research group focused on solutions for reducing energy usage in outdoor lighting systems in the European Union (EU). The E-Street initiative will play a pivotal role in determining EU standards and legislation for intelligent outdoor lighting systems. For a typical European city, the energy used by the outdoor lighting system can consume up to as much as 38% of the total energy demand for lighting. The City of Oslo provides a good working template for the E-Street initiative because the project leverages existing power line infrastructure, both CENELEC and ANSI certified technology, and field-proven, widely deployed components to minimize risk and ensure longevity.
The Norwegian utility, Hafslund, is the main contractor for the system and is also operating and maintaining the street lighting system in the City of Oslo as a full service provider. The new system may in the future be used as a blueprint for the other systems that Hafslund operates, totalling more than 100,000 streetlights under their ownership. Hafslund also supplies the energy for more than 250,000 streetlights in their grid that could also make use of the infrastructure being built today.
"Echelon's technology and products in the Oslo project have proven to provide a very stable infrastructure for street lighting management. The system gives us all the flexibility we need as a service provider to maximize energy savings and maintain safety while fulfilling all our customers' needs," said Eirik Bjelland, a senior advisor at Hafslund.
Bjelland continued, "Street lighting systems are expensive to maintain due, in part, to the large geographic size of the systems. Echelon's technology allows lamp failures to be identified remotely and, in many instances, fixed before being noticed by residents, where previously these failures had to be reported by residents or roving maintenance trucks on the lookout for failed lamps. The reduction in lamp downtime can have a significant impact on driver and pedestrian safety. It also allows repair crews to be more efficient by providing predictive failure analyses based on a comparison of actual running hours versus expected lamp life."
"Street lighting is expected to be a fast growing market for Echelon in Europe, and the City of Oslo is a leader in the responsible use of energy at the municipal level," said Anders Axelsson, Echelon's senior vice president of sales and marketing. "The new EU directive calling for the use of electronic ballasts in street lighting systems to increase energy efficiency holds tremendous promise for Echelon. There are more than 120 million street lights in Europe and roughly 500 million outdoor lights worldwide. Our power line communication technology and the remote management capabilities of our i.LON 100 Internet Server family position us very well in this market, and will yield substantial savings for cities that make it a priority to use energy more efficiently."
About the Solution
As part of the project the city of Oslo is replacing older, inefficient mechanical ballasts in the city's 55,000 street lights with electronic ballasts from SELC Ireland Limited that include Echelon's power line communication technology. Data from the street lights will be collected by approximately 1,000 segment controllers, which manage the street lights and use a wireless data network to communicate with the City of Oslo monitoring center. Echelon's i.LON 100 Internet Servers are used as segment controllers to log and report energy consumption and running hours, collect information from traffic and weather sensors, and calculate the availability of natural light from the sun and the moon using an internal astronomical clock. This data is used to automatically dim some or all of the street lights based on the season, local weather, and traffic density. Significant energy savings result from this highly efficient method of controlling light levels, which has a secondary benefit of extending lamp life, thereby reducing replacement costs, by avoiding unnecessary lamp operation.
The system is being integrated by Kongsberg Analogic AS, a technology company specializing in energy management solutions based on Echelon's technology. Enterprise monitoring software from streetlight solution partner DotVision provides the end-user with a Web portal through which the lamps can be remotely controlled, behavior analyzed, and failures identified. Both Philips' StarSense software and DotVision's Streetlight Suite software are used to measure and display energy consumption.
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The new 200 Mbps BROADBAND over POWER LINES Technology
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