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Broadband Over Power Lines: Coming Soon?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the believe-it-when-i'm-downloading dept.

Decaffeinated Jedi writes "With technology improving and costs droppings, News.com offers up an interesting report on renewed interest in delivering broadband Internet access via power lines (a technology known as BPL). Earlier this month, the Federal Communications Commission proposed a new set of rules for utility companies that might want to offer BPL services as a way to 'encourage broadband for the entire United States' -- particularly hard-to-reach rural areas. As the article notes, EarthLink has already started testing BPL service in using power lines leased in Wake County, North Carolina. Could cable and DSL face a new competitor in the broadband market in the near future?"

4 of 376 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Christ, WE KNOW by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    As long as they get auto-modded to +5 for repeating the same stuff over and over, they will continue to repeat the same stuff over and over. This is the way of Slashdot.

  2. Re:Christ, WE KNOW by the_consumer · · Score: 1, Flamebait
    Try to (legally) use a CB to talk to someone half way across the world, it's not happening.

    Oddly enough, a recent technological innovation allows erxactly this type globally spanning communication to occur without the use of radio waves bouncing through the atmosphere. The name for this new marvel is the telephone, look for one in your neighborhood soon!

    --
    "If you're thinking what I'm thinking, you're right." -
  3. Re:Christ, WE KNOW by the_consumer · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    If there's a disaaster and you need to use a generator to power your Ham radio, there won't be any interference anymore anyway.

    --
    "If you're thinking what I'm thinking, you're right." -
  4. Re:Don't care by loucura! · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    1.) I'm not a ham. I am an asshole, take it as you will.

    2.) If BPL stomps on federally allocated spectrum, it is the responsibility of the power company to rectify it. If they don't the FCC will generally smack them around. Further, the end user hardware will be regulated under Part 15, and as such have to receive any interference, including but not limited to federally licensed radio transmissions.

    3.) Capital letters are a valid means of emphasising words, if you don't like it too bad. I don't care about grammar nazis. You are all assholes.

    Please go kill yourself, kthx bye. ^_^

    --
    Black and grey are both shades of white.