http://www.muniwireless.com/2007/09/05/bpl-gaining-traction-as-a-broadband-alternative/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=bpl-gaining-traction-as-a-broadband-alternative Citywide WiFi, smart grid, enterprise wireless, public safety, mobile apps Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:38:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.muniwireless.com/2007/09/05/bpl-gaining-traction-as-a-broadband-alternative/#comment-22929 Sam Spencer Thu, 06 Sep 2007 16:44:31 +0000 http://muniwireless.sandboxdev.com/?p=6379#comment-22929 I support your comments and I think you're right on although I can add a little detail to what blocks BPL deployment. Interference is a concern but was addressed by the FCC. Interference was, ia and always will be a violation of FCC rules and the commission has committed to shutting down any and all violators end of story so the ARRL now is really just using BPL as an issue to stay in the limelight in articles like this one and most others that are about BPL. Most uninformed writers take the ARRL at its word and don't realize the group has been using the BPL industry in this way for its own publicity. Current seems happy using the limited spectrum bands but other firms have found FCC -approved ways of using all the spectrum available and notching out ham bands remotely when they cause a problem with a particular ham operator. What's holding BPL back is the lack of an interoperability standard and the fear amnong electric utilities of getting into the very viscious world of communications competition. Firms like Verizon, Comcast, Time Warner and the rest have state and federal legislators in their pockets -- and use the US courts system as a way to block potential competitors with lengthy lawsuits over whether competition should even be legal. It's so un-American. That's an ugly playground but there are lots of brave souls out there dying to get into the fray via BPL and anyone watching the headlines in our publication and others will see that the BPL industry is just getting its legs. The standard could be completed in 2008 and that would help greatly. Keep up the good reporting. I support your comments and I think you’re right on although I can add a little detail to what blocks BPL deployment. Interference is a concern but was addressed by the FCC. Interference was, ia and always will be a violation of FCC rules and the commission has committed to shutting down any and all violators end of story so the ARRL now is really just using BPL as an issue to stay in the limelight in articles like this one and most others that are about BPL. Most uninformed writers take the ARRL at its word and don’t realize the group has been using the BPL industry in this way for its own publicity. Current seems happy using the limited spectrum bands but other firms have found FCC -approved ways of using all the spectrum available and notching out ham bands remotely when they cause a problem with a particular ham operator. What’s holding BPL back is the lack of an interoperability standard and the fear amnong electric utilities of getting into the very viscious world of communications competition. Firms like Verizon, Comcast, Time Warner and the rest have state and federal legislators in their pockets — and use the US courts system as a way to block potential competitors with lengthy lawsuits over whether competition should even be legal. It’s so un-American. That’s an ugly playground but there are lots of brave souls out there dying to get into the fray via BPL and anyone watching the headlines in our publication and others will see that the BPL industry is just getting its legs. The standard could be completed in 2008 and that would help greatly. Keep up the good reporting.

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