First broadband over power lines working spec released
By Nilay Patel 
posted August 1st 2009 8:20AM
posted August 1st 2009 8:20AM
It's been a long slow go for broadband over power lines, but it looks like things are finally picking up steam -- an IEEE working group has completed main development of the standard and released the first draft of technical specs. Of course, there's still the arduous finalization process to go through, but now that BPL is an actual functioning standard we're hoping to see a new class of 100Mbps internet providers pop up and bring some much-needed competition to cable and DSL.
ok
IEEE, the de-facto standard for falling cartoon characters everywhere.
Those at risk of interference.
* The "short waves" -- the only part of the radio spectrum that supports long-distance, intercontinental radio communication. The short waves are used for international broadcasting, aeronautical, maritime, disaster relief, and other services including the military.
* The "low-band VHF" frequency range that is heavily used by volunteer fire departments, police, and other first responders.
* Depending on their distance from a BPL system, some public safety and federal government radio systems could receive harmful interference.
123 testing comment
As long as it's available in my area and I can get rid of my god awful WISP, I'm happy.
This is awesome news, what's stopping Google now from getting in the ISP business, as soon as they do, SIGN ME UP.
Sounds like issues are going to have to be met, like the UK experienced a while back trying to do the same thing.
Hope it works this time!
And here I am with my "premium" 2 Mbps =S
You'll be lucky to get 2mb/s with BPL. It's a great tech and badly needed but the 100Mb/s refers to the LAN component of the standard - there's zero change you'll be seeing 100Mb/s broadband BPL. There are already several commercial implementations of BPL and most of them are sub 2mb/s.
I can't wait for PG&E to try to challenge Comcast
I have FiOS in Tampa with Download up to 25 Mbps / Upload up to 15 Mbps with phone for 60.00. Not bad.
So, will this one work better then EVERY OTHER TRY THAT HAS FAILED.
I think you're forgetting about Current Communications. They're as fast as DSL, nearly identically priced, and symmetrical. You can get 3mb/s down AND up for $39/mo. AT&T DSL Extreme is 384kbps/3mbps and costs $37.95/mo. So for $2 more per month with Current you'd get an additional 2.7mb/s upstream. Uhh yes please, sign me up.
References:
http://www.current.net/ServiceAndPricing/Residential/PricingAndBenefits/
http://www.bellsouth.com/consumer/inetsrvcs/inetsrvcs_all.html?inetsrvcsCode=BISXT
If you want 100Mbps / 100Mbps for $55 or less like they have had in Japan since 2000, Americans MUST have one of the following (I give credit to Twitter user: http://twitter.com/lamapper for all of these valid points and observations). After research I have found that all his assertions are 100% true and as an American I am offended that American owned companies would do this to their own people, sad, really sad:
1) Government Deregulation. (This is how Japan got first 100 Mbps / 100Mbps and now get 1 Gbps / 1 Gbps for less per month)
2) Google via laying undersea cables, http://bit.ly/y8Ra7, they may be the only company large enough in America currently to pull this off. And they have the need from a bandwidth perspective with their business.
3) Greenlight, http://bit.ly/JKiSo, assuming the Cable Companies and Telcos have not paid off your elected officials already to prevent them from coming into your town, city and/or county. As many have already posted has happened in their areas. Also assumes that peering agreements can be reached. (Net Neutrality also) The American Telco / Cable Co / Wireline / Wireless Co oligopoly is lobbying D.C. at the rate of $1.5 million per week to protect their tiered pricing. Imagine if they put this plus the estimated $300 Billion they have received in government money + taxes + fees since the 1990s into new Fiber, we would already have Fiber to our home.
4) A new telco / fiber company enters the American market without peering agreements with any American telco and thus Cable Companies, Wireless companies, etc.... And is able to successfully put their own fiber in the ground or purchase dark fiber and light it up across the country.
Those are the ONLY solutions to the telco - cable co - wireless co oligopoly and political lobbying that has been hurting Americans since 1990 and before. There was a reason AT&T was broken up, remember that, however the problem remains since that breakup. If American companies wanted to give Americans 100Mbps / 100Mbps for $55 or less per month (as in Japan since 2000) or 1 Gbps / 1 Gbps for $52 or less per month (as in Japan since 2006) it would have already happened.
Remember the technology to increase bandwidth on a single strand of fiber from X1 to X1024 has existed since before 2000! Bandwidth scarcity is a MYTH that supports tiered pricing and Cable Company protectionism.
American companies are hurting Americans and preventing American job creation that requires high bandwidth internet of 100Mbps or greater. Why, for their tiered-pricing-greed of course. Remember the industry has bragged to financial analysts that they are one of the few industries that can continually raise prices in the face of economic realities that dictate prices should fall! (Fact) Why would they admit this? Well they deny it to American customers, however to financial analysts they admit it because it increases there stock price!
Americans should have already had fiber to their homes back in the year 2000, like the Japanese. Thanks for nothing Telcos and Cable Companies.
There are absolutely no technological reasons for Americans not to have fiber to their homes right now, only greed, governmental and business oligopoly reasons that thwart an open and free market from doing what is right for American consumers.
Do your elected officials have your best interests at heart or are they accepting money for re-election and leaving you in the dark ages?
It's the FCC's job to minimize interference between the allowed use of spectrum. The best way to achieve this is either very strict filtering of BPL or disallowing it.