Being a retired CS professional I can say it really isn't going to work that way. They don't just put the signal onto the power line and let it run. It takes additional signal injections every mile or so although this varies with the particular method used. BPL by its nauture is not as reliable as the power lines. When the power goes out it is more than likely BPL will as well.
Quite often when the hams are called out for emergency communications the power is out and sometimes over wide areas. This not only renders BPL inoperative, but the cell phone networks as well. That leaves the BPL users without power, telephones, or BPL and no method of communication.
It is quite likely the new push to implement optical over wide areas will render this a moot point as optical is far superior to BPL.
Slashdot Mirror
Being a retired CS professional I can say it really isn't going to work that way. They don't just put the signal onto the power line and let it run. It takes additional signal injections every mile or so although this varies with the particular method used. BPL by its nauture is not as reliable as the power lines. When the power goes out it is more than likely BPL will as well.
Quite often when the hams are called out for emergency communications the power is out and sometimes over wide areas. This not only renders BPL inoperative, but the cell phone networks as well. That leaves the BPL users without power, telephones, or BPL and no method of communication.
It is quite likely the new push to implement optical over wide areas will render this a moot point as optical is far superior to BPL.
Roger (K8RI)