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Utility Cuts Short BPL Trial
fatboy writes "The ARRL is reporting that Alliant Energy has called an early end to its broadband over power line (BPL) pilot project in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The "evaluation system" went live March 30, and plans were for it to remain active until August or September. Alliant shut it down June 25. Ongoing, unresolved HF interference from the system to retired engineer Jim Spencer, W0SR, and other amateurs prompted the ARRL to file a complaint to the FCC on Spencer's behalf demanding it be shut down."
Ok, I entirely understand why these folks are mad about the interference caused by BPL. I have an amateur radio license myself.
It seems to me, however, that if these hams are going to protest the deployment of last-mile(s) broadband technology, they'll be better off promoting a creative, alternative solution. They may lobby all they please, but the population of hams will continue to shrink, and networking will become so ubiquitous, that within 50 years we'll need every broadband delivery mechanism we can get. Delivering power and data over the same link is efficient. Perhaps, by then, we'll be better able to control the interference.
So, instead of fighting the inevitable, why don't they deploy wireless mesh networks to the BPL trial areas? They need to show the locals that broadband can be had for cheap, and without causing their garage doors to open and close at random, TVs to be fuzzy, etc.