BPL - at the War Front (Australia)
 

From WIANews 2004 22 AUGUST 2004
BPL - AT THE WAR FRONT

The interference potential of Broadband Powerline Communications (BPL) is
well recognised. It is of serious concern to many national radio societies
including our Wireless Institute of Australia.

Little is known about what has been occurring behind the scenes in Australia
as power companies prepare to adopt the BPL technology and the ACA considers
its regulatory response.

However Jim Linton VK3PC has uncovered an interesting, to say the least,
development that indicates potentially bad news.

Report

The future introduction of Broadband Powerline Communications (BPL) in
Australia could be on the condition that "less significant" HF radio users
such as radio amateurs and four wheel driver clubs would not be protected
from any interference it causes.

The Australian power industry has a real concern about the added expense
required to address interference that could affect amateur radio stations
and other recreational radio users.

Its arguments include that to remove amateur radio frequencies from a BPL
system will add cost and reduce the capacity and potential data rate.

The power industry is requesting that the Australian Communications
Authority (ACA) outweigh the concerns of recreational or "less significant"
HF radio users with the higher community benefit of providing greater access
to broadband-enabling technology.

The ACA, in response to the power industry concerns, is now examining the
legal possibility of allowing BPL networks to cause substantial interference
to "less significant" radio services, while other radio services would
continue to be entitled to interference protection.

Presumably if this becomes reality the Amateur Service could lose its
protection against harmful powerline interference too. After all, were are
in the eyes of some just a "less significant" radio service. This has been
Jim Linton VK3PC for WIA National News.

--
*Eliminate Qru, Qrt & Broadband over Power Lines to ragchew!
**Stephen Newlyn, VK5VKA. G'day from the City of Elizabeth, South Australia.
***Visit the "Stop BPL" page
http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~vk5vka/stopbpl.htm
****Visit my Home Page at http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~vk5vka/index.html


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