IEEE Publishes Final Broadband-over-Power-Line Standard

"I-triple-E has published its standard for Broadband over Power Lines. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers finalized BPL 1901TM in December and has made them available for purchase. The controversial Internet access technology has been around for several years, but the absence of an IEEE standard has been but one hindrance to its wider adoption.

With BPL, merely plugging a browser-equipped computer into a wall outlet yields high-speed Internet access. 1901-compliant local area networks are said to support data rates of more than 500 Mbps, and first- and last-mile ranges of 1,500 meters. The technology scheme allows for the transmission of data over standard AC power lines of any voltage, at frequencies less than 100 MHz.

The Federal Communications Commission adopted rules for BPL in 2004, setting off a firestorm of objection from ham radio operators. The American Radio Relay League, representing hams, contended that BPL interfered with their operations, as well as short-wave and low-band VHF communications.



The FCC in 2006 reaffirmed its rules, denying ARRL requests to prohibit BPL pending further study. The organization sued, and in April 2008, a federal court ordered the commission to provide BPL emissions studies it had previously redacted. Those documents were released July 17, 2009, along with a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. The ARRL continues to fight it."

TVB | IEEE Publishes Final Broadband-over-Power-Line Standard

Good God, they won't let this horrible technology go!

And FTR the interference to ham radio communications is very real. The very fact that BPL advocates wanted to modify part 15 was proof of that!