BPL Global Expands Broadband Over Power Lines in Caracas

BPL Global Expands Broadband Over Power Lines in Caracas
La Nueva Electricidad de Caracas (EDC) offers hundreds of customers access to high speed Internet over the existing electric infrastructure


PITTSBURGH, May 5 /PRNewswire/ -- BPL Global, Ltd., a smart grid technology company dedicated to leading the transformation of energy and information delivery, announced today that its BPL implementation in Caracas, Venezuela has been deemed successful by La Nueva Electricidad de Caracas (EDC).

The BPL deployment in Petare, a popular community in the East side of Caracas, has been operating in a trial mode serving numerous multi-dwelling units (MDU). It operates on the existing aerial medium voltage power lines, providing Internet service to low-income areas that are underserved. This project includes an elementary school with more than 1,000 students, enabling children access to the Internet.

The BPL activities fit with EDC's overall strategy of providing services that benefit the communities' goal to continually improve quality of life in Venezuela. EDC is helping the community by leveraging the existing power grid to provide citizens and less privileged communities with access to the Internet. Other services that EDC would like to offer include: VoIP, IPTV, VPN and IP communication services.

Since some areas have no Internet access, the services are expected to have a positive social impact. So far, enrollment of the broadband-enabled buildings has exceeded the 20 percent goal for the pilot.

"Our broadband solutions allow for much broader access to high-speed Internet," said Geraldo Guimaraes, executive director, Latin America for BPL Global. "We're excited about the economic and quality-of-life benefits these kinds of programs can bring to entire cities. The sophistication and versatility of our design makes it possible to work with a range of electrical infrastructures, operating environments and service requirements."

Recent estimates from the Computer Industry Almanac indicate that only 13 percent of the Venezuelan population, or 3.3 million people, have Internet access. The access provided through EDC and BPL Global will enable significant growth in the number of people with broadband access in Venezuela, especially areas of difficult access.

EDC is now expanding the served area in Petare to other primary schools and to Barrio Adentro (modules that provide medical assistance to the community).

As part of the engagement, BPL Global:

* Analyzed the Caracas electrical infrastructure, operating environment
and service requirements presented by EDC.
* Evaluated several best-of-breed BPL vendor solutions and designed the
best solution based upon the requirements of EDC and the
characteristics of the local electrical grid.
* Managed equipment sourcing from ordering, importing and inventorying,
to acceptance testing.
* Trained network operation center employees and field technicians.
* Provided ongoing back-up support to the EDC field team.