High Speed Internet Access Over the Power Lines

In a broadband world that seems to be dominated by ADSL, Satellite or Cable, a radical vision has recently emerged of a high-speed Internet connection in every electrical outlet or power socket of a building. Whilst at first it may seem a bit far-fetched, working systems are currently already underway in some countries.

Broadband over Power Line, or BPL, services are currently available in about a dozen communities throughout America on a trial basis whilst other countries like Canada are already deploying. The Europeans have been tinkering with Internet over Power Lines for quite some time now.

Whilst so far many power companies have been reluctant to spend the money required to retrofit aging or older power grids for data, they have now overcome some of the more difficult technological hurdles that had previously hindered some of the earlier experiments. Some power companies and networking providers are now set to prove that BPL can be a viable business model.

While critics point to past failures, BPL advocates say the power grid is just too big to be ignored as a data channel and information infrastructure. After all, we are usually talking about piggybacking onto a countries largest infrastructure.

Why would we consider using our Power Lines as transmission medium in the first place?

In Australia, there would be immediate potential for power-line technology to bring broadband to areas that are now either being poorly served by current broadband technologies or not served at all. This is a major problem for many regional users, current ADSL technology will only allow a broadband connection if it is within approximately 3.5 to 4 kilometres from an ADSL enabled exchange.

Many would welcome the day when each and every power point would have the potential to offer high-speed broadband and a plethora of other enabling high-tech applications. BPL could certainly be a possible means of bringing Internet access and high-speed links to rural and isolated areas.

What is stopping this kind of technology being deployed immediately?

When standards are finalised for power-line data transmissions, which for Americans at least, will be later this year, those organisations supplying electricity will have the capacity and consequently probably become far more willing to invest in broadband delivery services.

But establishing standards will only solve half the problem. Just because BPL is technically feasible doesn't mean it will make a good business model. That said early indicators are that there is a strong capacity for a very competitive model.

Because so few power-line broadband services are as yet operational, a clear-cut pricing structure has not yet to emerged. So far, most trial services charge fees in the monthly range, until recent times at least, comparable to ADSL costs.

Apart from the economics of adding another business unit, why would power supply organisations be interested in this concept?

Power suppliers could also add data-transmission capability for their own systems. Amongst other uses, electricity networks could enable remote meter reading. Data-enabled power lines could also run services to reduce electrical consumption, performing tasks like shutting off water heaters, air conditioners etc when customers may not be at home.

Basically each power outlet would be given an IP address. So hypothetically, the hot water system would have an IP address and could be cycled on and off at will.

Would this Internet Access Service only be of interest to those affected by the “tyranny of distance”?

Whilst the service Broadband Power Line (BPL) may be a viable broadband option for rural and outlying areas the same services would probably be most economically feasible in the suburbs or cities. In a densely populated area, a single power line repeater could serve far more customers.

Densely populated areas are however are almost certain to face the most competition from other broadband providers such as wireless and the more traditional ADSL competitors. Whilst technological problems are being rapidly overhauled, the economics may still remain a challenge.

Arthur Hissey
Computer Research & Technology
www.crt.net.au