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RIVIER COLLEGE ONLINE ACADEMIC JOURNAL, VOLUME 2, NUMBER 1, SPRING 2006
AN OVERVIEW OF BROADBAND OVER POWER LINE (BPL)
Abstract A new technology is being standardized as an alternative to Cable or DSL to deliver the final mile of broadband internet access to subscribers throughout the world. This technology requires no new cabling or infrastructure, instead leveraging the long established power grid provided by electrical companies. This paper introduces the reader to Broadband over Power Lines (BPL) technology, discusses the major concern with technology, and looks at its potential for the future. 1 Overview of BPL Broadband over Power Lines (BPL) is a term used to describe the use of existing electrical lines to Changed with thethe medium for a high speed communications network. BPL, also known as Power Line provide DEMO VERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com).
Communications (PLC) is achieved by superimposing the voice or data signals onto the line carrier signal using Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing. There are two main categories of BPL: in-house and access. In-house BPL is broadband access within a building or structure using the electric lines of the structure to provide the network infrastructure. HomePlug (Homeplug, 2005) is an alliance of several vendors of in-house BPL products which has authored a standard for device compliance. Products conforming to the HomePlug standard have been commercially available since 2002. For example, Linksys offers the PLEBR10 (Linksys, 2005), an adapter which connects an existing router (which accepts the in-coming broadband from Cable or DSL) to the electric lines of the house. Other computers in the building can then connect to the network simply by attaching their computer's network card to an adapter (e.g. Linksys PLUSB10) plugged into a wall outlet. Access BPL is the use of the electrical transmission lines to deliver broadband to the home. Access BPL is considered a viable alternative to Cable or DSL to provide the 'final mile' of broadband to end users. A BPL coupler placed at the pole converts the transmission medium from fiber (originating at the substation) to medium voltage power lines. Broadband signals traverse the medium voltage power lines, bypassing transformers, with repeaters placed every mile along the transmission path. At the final pole, a BPL wireless device can deliver the broadband to home-installed BPL wireless receivers, or, the signal can be sent to the individual homes via the low-voltage electrical lines and made available through any BPL wired receiver.
Copyright 2006 by Bruce R. Trull. Published by Rivier College, with permission. ISSN 1559-9388 (online version), ISSN 1559-9396 (CD-ROM version).

Trull, Bruce R.

2 History of Communications over Electric Lines Using electrical lines for communication is not new. Traditionally, the term power-line carrier, has been used to refer to the use of electrical lines as a medium for communications. Electric companies have deployed technologies such as SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) over powerlines to perform simple command/control functions at remote locations, such as substations, using the electric transmissions lines as the conduit (Wikipedia, 2005). Electric company linesmen have also used the transmission lines by tapping the wire with specialized radios for communicating with each other along through the line. On a smaller scale, in-home intercom systems have been available for many years that use the electric lines of the building to deliver audio data over the buildings electrical lines. Radio Shack sells a Home Automation System (Radio Shack, 2005) where a timer-based controller, plugged into a standard outlet, communicates over the homes electrical wires to appliance modules plugged into other outlets to turn devices (e.g., lamps, fans, etc) on or off. These historical uses of power-line communication typically operated at low frequencies, generally below 600 kHz (OSHA, 2005). Modulation techniques vary for traditional PLC, from FM to Wideband. 3 BPL Arrives on the Scene BPL emerged in the 1990s as a means of leveraging the pervasiveness of the power grid to deliver high speed broadband communications. In order to achieve high bandwidth levels, BPL operates at higher frequencies than traditional power line communications, typically in the range between 2 and 80 MHz. Changed with modulation technique of of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). The the DEMO VERSION choice for BPL is Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing. According to Jim Mollenkopf of Current Technologies, a leading supplier of BPL components, OFDM is superior to Spread Spectrum or Narrowband for spectral efficiency, robustness against channel distortions, and the ability to adapt to channel changes (Mollenkopf, 2004). The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) sees Broadband over Power Lines as a means to deliver high speed broadband access to rural/remote portions of the country where it is presently cost prohibitive for Cable and DSL providers to develop an infrastructure of services. In the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (FCC, 1996) section 706 "Advanced Telecommunications Incentives," the Act indicates the FCC "shall encourage the deployment on a reasonable and timely basis of advanced telecommunications capability to all Americans." The FCC has provided four update reports to the Act, the second of which (FCC, 2000), identified Americans living in rural regions as being 'at risk' for obtaining high speed internet access based on existing market forces. In April 2003, the FCC issued a "Notice of Inquiry" (FCC, 2003) on BPL, seeking information on the technology. In the fourth update report (FCC, 2004) the FCC indicated "the technology has the potential to take advantage of the large-scale deployed infrastructure of the power grid to provide broadband services to some customers not yet served by DSL or cable modem services." Recognizing the potential of BPL, the IEEE, in July 2004, began work on P1675 Standard for Broadband over Power Line Hardware. In the IEEE announcement of P1675 (IEEE, July 2004), they indicate the standard will give electric utilities a comprehensive standard for installing the required hardware on distribution lines, both underground and overhead and will include installation requirements for the protection of those who work on BPL equipment and to ensure such systems do not place the public at risk. In July 2005, IEEE started the P1901 Standard for Broadband over Power Line Networks: Medium Access Control and Physical Layer Specification (IEEE, July 2005). The

Copyright 2006 by Bruce R. Trull. Published by Rivier College, with permission. ISSN 1559-9388 (online version), ISSN 1559-9396 (CD-ROM version). 2
standard strives to create a balanced and efficient BPL channel that has the bandwidth and quality of service needed by all users. IEEE is targeting both Access BPL and in-house BPL with P1901. The Power Line Communications Association (PLCA) and PowerLine Council (UPLC) submitted a report to the FCC in March 2003 (PLCA/UPLC, 2003) summarizing the state of BPL. The report cites existing trials of BPL and states Early results have been very encouraging. Participating households are reporting a high degree of satisfaction with the service. The report also requests prompt action by the FCC to define the emission rules for BPL devices. 4 Concerns with BPL While the benefits are numerous to BPL deployment, there are concerns, primarily with Radio Frequency Interference (RFI). The American Radio Relay League (ARRL, 2005) has been one of most vocal opponents to the deployment of BPL, citing concerns with spectrum interference of existing licensed services, including ham radio operators and emergency services. Gary Box, representing the ARRL, published an extensive analysis of their RFI concerns in (Box, 2005). In the report, Mr. Box cites three active BPL trials where interference was detected and reported through the prescribed channels. Each of the three trials resulted in aborted trials, though not all were overtly terminated for interference reasons. The FCC, recognizing the concern with RFI, released an update to their Compliance Rules (FCC Rules, 2005) in September 2005, which includes a section on Access BPL (see Subpart G). In the document, the FCC takes several steps toward mitigating interference issues, including: 1. Requiring Access BPL deployments to be registered with a central repository Changed with the 2. Access BPL systems must be able to remote adjust power and adjust operating frequencies DEMO VERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). in the event that a licensed service is interfered with as a result of BPL interference. 3. Providing a notification scenario for users of licensed services to report interference problems. 5 Future of BPL While in-home BPL is already on the scene with commercial products readily available, proliferation of Access BPL faces a more formidable challenge. RFI concerns are legitimate and specific cases have been documented. Standardization by the IEEE for device compliance is critical to avoiding the proliferation of proprietary solutions. Companies manufacturing BPL devices will have to ensure their products meet the revised standards set forth by the FCC, which will increase the cost of the deployment. The electric companies are eager to pursue BPL, envisioning increased services and reduced operating costs as a result of the deployment (Forbes, 2005). Cable and DSL providers will be watching the emerging competition closely and, along with the ARRL, will be eager to ensure the BPL installations are meeting the requirements of the FCC. BPL companies such as Current Technologies Group will continue working with the electricity providers in more trials around the country while continuing to work through issues with RFI. At the same time, the ARRL will continue to monitor and report occurrences of RFI to defend licensed services.

6 Summary With the firm backing of the FCC, BPL is likely to realize a significant rollout throughout the United States. The success of the rollout depends largely on the ability of the electric companies and the BPL component developers to meet the FCC rules set forth for BPL devices. If they fail to do so, the ARRL will become even more vocal and active in their opposition to the technology. 7 References
Homeplug (2005). Retrieved December 2, 2005 from http://www.homeplug.org Linksys (2005). Retrieved December 2, 2005 from http://www.linksys.com Wikipedia (2005). Retrieved December 2, 2005 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_line_communication Radio Shack (2005). Retrieved December 2, 2005 from http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103897 OSHA (2005). Retrieved December 2, 2005 from http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/electric_power/illustrated_glossary/substation_equipment/power_line_carrier.html Mollenkopf, Jim (September 2004). Retrieved December 2, 2005 from http://ieee.cincinnati.fuse.net/BPL_slideshow.pdf Federal Communications Commission (1996). Retrieved December 2, 2005 from http://www.fcc.gov/Reports/tcom1996.pdf Federal Communications Commission (2000). Retrieved December 2, 2005 from http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Common_Carrier/News_Releases/2000/nrcc0040.html Federal Communications Commission (2003). Retrieved December 2, 2005 from http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-233537A1.pdf Federal Communications Commission (2004). Retrieved December 2, 2005 from http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-04-208A1.pdf Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE) (July 2004). Retrieved December 2, 2005 from http://standards.ieee.org/announcements/pr_p1675.html with the DEMO VERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). IEEE (July 2005). Retrieved December 2, 2005 from http://standards.ieee.org/announcements/pr_BPL.html AARL Worldwide (2005). Retrieved December 2, 2005 from http://p1k.arrl.org/~ehare/bpl/WorldwideEx2.html PLCA/UPLC (2003). Retrieved December 2, 2005 from http://www.uplc.utc.org/file_depot/0-10000000/010000/7966/conman/Joint+Report+on+PLC.pdf ARRL (2005), Retrieved December 2, 2005 from http://www.arrl.org/ Box, Gary. Retrieved December 2, 2005 from http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/files/BPL_paper.pdf Federal Communications Commission, Rules Part 15 (2005). Retrieved December 2, 2005 from http://www.fcc.gov/oet/info/rules/part15/part15-91905.pdf Forbes Magazine (2005). Retrieved December 2, 2005 from http://www.forbes.com/intelligentinfrastructure/2005/03/16/cx_ld_0317bpl.html

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______________________________________ * BRUCE R. TRULL is a Software/Systems Engineer in the High Performance Computing Division of Hewlett
Packard Company, developing run-time libraries for various parallel programming languages. He is currently pursuing a M.S. in Computer Science at Rivier College. He received his B.A. in Computer Science and Applied Mathematics from the University of Maine in 1986.

Instant PowerLineTM Series

PowerLine USB Adapter

Create a High-Speed Network Using Your Homes Existing Powerlines
he PowerLine USB Adapter lets you turn the existing powerlines in your home or office into a high-speed network. Now you don't have to drill through the walls, and climb through the attic or cellar to install network cables, just use the wires that already run through the building! The PowerLine USB Adapter interfaces USB-equipped PCs to the HomePlug PowerLine network standard. Just plug the PowerLine USB Adapter into the wall, connect your computer to it using the included USB cable, and you've turned your whole house into network infrastructure! Attach more computers to the network by simply plugging them into the wall anywhere in the house, using more PowerLine USB Adapters, or Linksys PowerLine EtherFast 10/100 Bridges.
Instant PowerLineTM PowerLine USB Adapter Model No.: PLUSB10 ver. 2
Once your computers are connected to the network, they can share resources like printers and storage space, and all kinds of files music, digital pictures, and documents. With up to 12Mbps data rates*, you can play head-to-head network computer games, too. And if you use a PowerLine Bridge to interface one of the famous Linksys Broadband Routers from your cable or DSL Internet connection to your PowerLine network, you'll be able to get to the Internet from any computer in the house.

Benefits

Use your home or office's existing powerlines to network your computers Connects USB-equipped PCs to powerline networking Data rates up to 12Mbps* 56-bit encryption keeps your data secure Share files, printers, network storage, gaming, and your PowerLine-Bridged cable/DSL Internet connection throughout your home

Features

Up to 12 Mbps* High-Speed Data Transfer Rate Fully HomePlug 1.0 Compliant Easy-to-Read LED Indicators Compatible with Windows 98 SE, Me, 2000, & XP Plug-and-Play Operation Provides Easy Setup Connect to a Network Using your Exiting Powerlines No Additional Wire Needed Works with Virtually All Standard Internet Applications Work with PC equipped with USB Port Free Technical Support24 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week, Toll-Free US Calls 1-Year Limited Warranty
* The HomePlug powerline network data rate is 14Mbps. Actual throughput of the PLUSB10 is limited to 12Mbps by the USB 1.1 specification.

Specifications

Standards Ports: Cabling Type Speed PowerLine USB LEDs Encryption
Up to 14 Mbps Up to 12Mbps Activity, Link, Collision 56-bit Data Encryption with Key Management, Network Password to secure local powerline networking USB Spec. 1.1, HomePlug 1.0 One USB Standard USB Cable

Package Contents

PowerLine USB Adapter One PowerLine USB Adapter One USB Cable One Quick Installation One Setup CD-ROM with User Guide One Registration Card

Minimum Requirements

One PC with the following: Windows 98SE, Millennium, 2000 or XP 64MB RAM Available USB Port CD-ROM Drive

Environmental

Dimensions Unit Weight Certifications Operating Temp Storage Temp
2.68" x 4.25" X 2.60" (68 mm x 108 mm x 66 mm) 5 oz. (0.142 kg) FCC Class B, UL, HomePlug 1.0 32F to 104F (0C to 40C) -4F to 158F (-20C to 70C) Linksys
World Headquarters: 17401 Armstrong Ave. Irvine, CA 92614 USA E-mail: sales@linksys.com support@linksys.com http://www.linksys.com
Operating Humidity 10% to 85%, Non-Condensing Storage Humidity
5% to 90%, Non-Condensing
Linksys products are available in more than 50 countries, supported by 12 Linksys Regional Offices throughout the world. For a complete list of local Linksys Sales and Technical Support contacts, visit our Worldwide Web Site at www.linksys.com.