Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

IBM Bringing Powerline Broadband Back?

Posted by samzenpus on from the faster-tubes dept.

KindMind writes "IBM, in partnership with International Broadband Electric Communications, appears to be bringing back powerline broadband back from the dead. This time, the idea is to build out in rural areas not currently serviced by broadband, and isn't for competing with other broadband solutions. From the article: 'Their strategy is to sign up electric cooperatives that provide power to sparsely populated areas across the eastern United States. Rather than compete toe-to-toe with large, entrenched cable or DSL providers, IBEC is looking for customers that have been largely left out of the shift to high-speed Internet.'"

5 of 141 comments (clear)

  1. Why others failed by Reziac · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I don't know for sure, but it strikes me that having a big tech player like IBM behind it will make it a lot more likely to succeed. And yes, it's very much needed -- much of rural North America (I'd guess somewhat over half the total land mass outside of metro areas) has no practical broadband available, and no hope of ever being in range of cable, DSL, or even fixed wireless.

    --
    ~REZ~ #43301. Who'd fake being me anyway?
    1. Re:Why others failed by nebaz · · Score: 3, Insightful

      So then why are they in range of power? It seems like certain things only happen when they are mandated to be so, like electricity.

      --
      Rhymes that keep their secrets will unfold behind the clouds.There upon the rainbow is the answer to a neverending story
    2. Re:Why others failed by Reziac · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Electricity and basic phone lines have been in most of the American hinterland for decades -- tho there are parts of Montana that got power in my lifetime, and still lack phone service. Some parts of California still lack both. But overall, power and phone lines are reasonably ubiquitous.

      However -- being in range of DSL is not. Rural phone lines won't support it, being many miles too far from the stations (range limit: about 3 miles). Cable has even less rural penetration. Fixed wireless/highspeed cellphone access is purely line of sight, which leaves much of the mountain west right out. Satellite is pricey and to my understanding, still not wholly practical.

      Thus there are still big swaths of American where power-line access may be the most practical route; indeed, it may be the ONLY route for broadband of any sort.

      I'm less than 50 miles from Los Angeles and 15 miles from a half-million pop suburb, yet I'm in an area that can't get DSL or cable (in fact I can't get better than 26k on POTS). Two years ago fixed wireless became available here.. but if my house was 50 feet further west, I'd be out of the necessary line of sight. This situation is a great deal more common than urban/suburban folk realise.

      --
      ~REZ~ #43301. Who'd fake being me anyway?
  2. Re:Hmm. by yahooglesoft · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Almost all of my Ham friends simply detest the idea of BPL because of the interference it gives. Its not just us hams that get hurt by this but other commercial and government frequencies that are in the lower range. If they would spend the money to properly shield the electrical lines to remove interference then I'd love to have BPL.

  3. Re:Hmm. by faedle · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Internet access can be very easily filtered. HF, not so easy.

    Although, Broadband-over-Powerlines seems to solve both problems. Put the communications over an easily controlled technology, while simultaneously "jamming" a not-so-easily controlled one.