Utility experiments with Internet over power lines

Associated Press


ALLENTOWN, Pa. - An electric utility in eastern Pennsylvania has launched
its fourth marketplace trial of a technology that allows customers to get
high-speed Internet access over their power lines.

Allentown's PPL Corp. is one of more than a dozen electric companies
nationwide that are experimenting with using power lines to deliver
broadband Internet. Most people who get high-speed Internet now receive it
through their telephone jack or cable television line.

PPL started testing the service about a year ago in Whitehall Township and
Emmanaus in the Lehigh Valley. Some customers in a third township in
Northampton County got the service in the fall. The fourth test recently
began in Upper Macungie Township.

The utility said that for now, it is selling the service for a base price of
about $40 a month. Customers can expect speeds equivalent to DSL service,
carried over phone lines, but a little slower than cable Internet. All three
broadband modes are several times faster than traditional access through a
modem.

Like other utilities, PPL isn't quite ready for a full-scale deployment of
the technology.

"We're meeting with very good results, and that's the reason we're
expanding," said David Kelley, president of PPL TelCom, a subsidiary of PPL
Corp.

The company's goal is to perfect a system that would allow customers to get
on the Net by plugging into an electrical outlet, or using an antenna to
pick up a wireless signal from a transmitter. The company is now testing
both transmission methods.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael Powell said a year ago
that power companies were "within striking distance" of making electrical
lines the third major way to get broadband Internet into people's homes.

The prospect of piggybacking Internet data onto power lines has raised some
complaints from shortwave radio operators, who worry that it could disrupt
radio signals.

Other groups, citing concern about radio interference, have also urged the
government to take a cautious approach to approving the technology. They
include the National Academy of Sciences,
Aeronautical Radio Inc., and the National Telecommunications and Information
Agency, which represents federal agencies that use high-frequency radio
channels.

PPL said it has received only four complaints about shortwave radio
interference since it began its trials.

The company sells electricity to 1.3 million customers in Pennsylvania.
---
Information from: The Morning Call, http://www.mcall.com

Dan,

Sure, please read the article and you will find:

"Other groups, citing concern about radio interference, have also urged the
government to take a cautious approach to approving the technology. They
include the National Academy of Sciences,Aeronautical Radio Inc., and the
National Telecommunications and Information Agency, which represents
federal agencies that use high-frequency radio channels.

PPL said it has received only four complaints about shortwave radio
interference since it began its trials."

Hope that answers your question.

73s

Mike






"Dan" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 15 May 2004 16:20:29 +0000 (UTC), "Mike Terry"
wrote:

Utility experiments with Internet over power lines

Associated Press

Please clarify what this has to with shortwave radio, thank you.

Dan

Grundig S800, S650, S700, YB400, YB550PE
Degen DE1102, Kaito KA1102
Drake R8, Radio Shack DX-440
Hallicrafters S-120 (1962)
Zenith black dial 5 tube Tombstone (1937)
E. H. Scott 23 tube Imperial Allwave in Tasman cabinet (1936)

BPL is not good news for amateurs or SWL's. Do some reading starting here
.. . .
http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/




"Mike Terry" wrote in message
...
Dan,

Sure, please read the article and you will find:

"Other groups, citing concern about radio interference, have also urged
the
government to take a cautious approach to approving the technology. They
include the National Academy of Sciences,Aeronautical Radio Inc., and the
National Telecommunications and Information Agency, which represents
federal agencies that use high-frequency radio channels.

PPL said it has received only four complaints about shortwave radio
interference since it began its trials."

Hope that answers your question.

73s

Mike






"Dan" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 15 May 2004 16:20:29 +0000 (UTC), "Mike Terry"
wrote:

Utility experiments with Internet over power lines

Associated Press

Please clarify what this has to with shortwave radio, thank you.

Dan

Grundig S800, S650, S700, YB400, YB550PE
Degen DE1102, Kaito KA1102
Drake R8, Radio Shack DX-440
Hallicrafters S-120 (1962)
Zenith black dial 5 tube Tombstone (1937)
E. H. Scott 23 tube Imperial Allwave in Tasman cabinet (1936)

"Mike Terry" wrote in message
...
Utility experiments with Internet over power lines
[snip]

The prospect of piggybacking Internet data onto power lines has raised
some
complaints from shortwave radio operators, who worry that it could disrupt
radio signals.

Other groups, citing concern about radio interference, have also urged the
government to take a cautious approach to approving the technology. They
include the National Academy of Sciences,
Aeronautical Radio Inc., and the National Telecommunications and
Information
Agency, which represents federal agencies that use high-frequency radio
channels.



[snip]

The encouraging thing about the AP's report is that it acknowledges the
problem with interference. It seems most of the non-radio hobbyist
reporters write their articles from BPL press releases.

The discouraging thing is that George Bush backs BPL.

Frank Dresser

In article ,
"Mike Terry" wrote:

Utility experiments with Internet over power lines

Associated Press

snip

Please explain what this has to do SW listening. Please stay on topic
and while you are at it love your fellow RRS poster.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

Dan wrote:
On Sat, 15 May 2004 16:20:29 +0000 (UTC), "Mike Terry"
wrote:


Utility experiments with Internet over power lines

Associated Press


Please clarify what this has to with shortwave radio, thank you.

Dan

When you see how it trashes the HF spectrum to the point you can no
longer listen to your shortwave radio, you will understand what it has
to do with SW radio.