Broadband Over Powerlines

Broadband over powerlines (BPL) is a high speed Internet service by electric companies, already available in select markets.

Many are looking towards the electric companies to bring added competition to cable and phone companies already offering broadband services over cable or phone lines.

This may become one of the major ways in which people connect to the Internet. For example, United Power Line Council predicts powerline broadband market size to be $2.5 billion by the year 2010.

There are about 40 test markets in place for powerline broadband in the U.S.

Manassas, VA, as well as Cincinnati, Ohio already have the commercial service in operation.

The test markets include Allentown, PA, and utility companies doing tests include Progress Energy, Ameren, Cinergy, Southern Company, PEPCO, Idaho Power, and Consolidated Edison.

Broadband Over Powerlines Technology

The Broadband over Power Lines system, in place in Manassas, VA, for example, uses the utility’s existing electric power lines connected to homes and businesses to deliver high-speed Internet connection through an ordinary wall socket.

Normally, no special wiring is required. You plug a modem into any electric outlet to access the Internet.

One of the leaders in this technology field is Main.net. They have developed a technology called PLUS, which is able transform the electric distribution grid into a high speed data network.

In their vision, main applications of Power Line Communications (PLC) are: Internet, Telephony and AMR (Automatic Meter Reading).

Broadband Over Powerlines - Manassas, VA Service

The city of Manassas in VA had a successful one year pilot with powerline broadband.

Based on the success of the pilot phase, on October 16, 2003, the City Council of Manassas voted to award a franchise to Prospect Street Broadband for City-wide deployment of the service.

The service features include:

• Symmetrical upload/download speeds up to 20 times faster than dial-up service
• Connection by modem to any electric outlet
• Always on service
• No need for second phone line or cable service

To read more about powerline broadband, see, for example:

• plcforum.com (PLC Forum, an industry representative group formed in 2000)
• uplc.utc.wego.net (United Power Line Council)
• plca.net (Power Line Communications Association)