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There are many ways to deliver broadband services to homes and businesses. Although any system can cause interference under some circumstances, the alternatives to BPL have not been shown to have the serious, widespread interference problems associated with many of the BPL trials attempted to date. This page has been put together to show that there are alternative technologies that should be considered by electric utilities, municipalities and neighbors as they choose broadband alternatives.
These alternatives generally do not have the problems of interference both from and to BPL. The information on this page offers an opportunity for local amateurs to educate their local utilities and governments on lower (or non) interference systems, often with higher speed and capacity, increased reliability and even lower cost.
Utilities need to move data in order to implement next-generation Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) including Automated Meter Reading (AMR) and intelligent grid management.
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Assessment of Demand Response Advanced Metering 2007
September, 2007 -- This FERC report outlines the present state of Demand Response and Advanced Metering in the US. The level of and interest in electric demand response and advanced metering has increased significantly since August 2006.
Dept. of Energy GridWise Alliance -- GridWise at PNNL
The DOE GridWise Program and the GridWise Alliance share a vision of the future of the electric grid in the U.S. and are working together to realize the benefits for consumers and industry.
Electric Power Research Institute -- IntelliGrid
The vision of an intelligent grid (or IntelliGrid) is the vision for the electric delivery system of the future. Taken as a whole, reaching this vision will yield unprecedented benefits for the industry -- utility, consumers and society will all see rewards through increased reliability, reduced O&M costs, avoidance of new capacity, and increased customer satisfaction.
Many Utilities Starting to Develop AMI and Utility-of-the-Future Strategies
May 29, 2007 Will McNamara, Principal Consultant, KEMA, Inc.
Part 1 of this two-part article examines the advanced metering infrastructure and smart grid strategies of 14 U.S. utilities. According to some projections, the North American AMI market will grow about 20% annually through 2010. Recently, KEMA gathered proprietary intelligence, which included informal surveys and in-depth research, on about 14 U.S. utilities developing or implementing AMI/Smart Grid pilots or projects.
ConEdison filing to the NY State Public Service Commission - Automated Meter Reading plan
March 28, 2007, NYSPSC -- This filing by ConEdison outlines the reasons that ConEd has chosen wireless technology instead of BPL for its new automated meter-reading program. ConEdison has been involved with a BPL trial for several years in Briarcliff Major, NY, but states that this program is in the "early stages" of evaluation. ConEdiston says that BPL does "offer(s) some key advantages" and that it will "continue to evaluate" It notes, however, that the costs of the technology and meters "make this technology significantly more costly than the other AMR methods considered." ConEdison cited that BPL "may be" compatible with radial-distribution power networks, but also said that "this communications technique has a high level of uncertainty both in technical and total functionality in Con Edison’s network distribution grid."
Thursday power outages eased by new system - May 17, 2007 By Jeremy Desel
Thursday's power outage because of the fire at the substation near the Southwest Freeway no doubt was a more the electrical disruption for thousands who work and live in the area. For them power control is the last thing on their minds. "The objective is to control the damages to the most minimal amounts,” said CenterPoint Vice President Kenny Mercado.
Demand Response Changing AMI Requirements
April 11, 2007 Patti Harper-Slaboszewicz, Director, AMI/MDM and Demand Response, UtiliPoint International, Inc.
The passage of EPAct 2005 coincided with increasing commodity costs for gasoline, heating oil, natural gas, oil and electricity. Demand response offers an opportunity to mitigate price increases by reducing demand when wholesale prices are high.
Smart Grid Newsletter - The insider's guide to the modernization and automation of electric power. Designing the Future is a case study dated November, 2006. Southern California Edison (SCE) has a mandate to implement advanced metering technology for its millions of customers. But its first crack at a business case showed existing technology would cost far more than it could save. So SCE went back to the drawing board. Working with EPRI’s IntelliGrid program, IBM, EnerNex, and others, they employed a Systems Engineering model and developed a $1.3 billion plan to use technology that didn’t yet exist. Through a systematic development of requirements coupled with a careful technical assessment, SCE has crafted a plan whose benefits will break even with its cost. SCE literally designed its own future.
TWACS
DCSI provides its customers with reliable and complete advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) solutions. TWACS® by DCSI is a proven power line and radio frequency communication system with full two-way access to and from the meter providing useful information to utilities.
DSL uses various digital modulation schemes to adaptively fill the available bandwidth of a standard twisted pair phone line. Typically, DSL makes use of bandwidth above 3kHz, leaving the lower bandwidth for standard voice telephone.
Tutorials:
Here are some good descriptions of how DSL operates:
DSL Forum tutorial on DSL
http://www.dslforum.org/about_dsl.htm?page=aboutdsl/IForums.html
Links about DSL:
Wikipedia explanation of ADSL
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADSL
ADSL is a newer DSL standard that uses OFDM modulation and provides adaptive asymetrical performance where upstream and downstream data rates are different.
VDSL2 tutorial: (DSL Forum, 2005) www.dslforum.org/learndsl/ppt/VDSL2_Tutorial-2005.ppt
VDSL2 article: (May 4, 2006) http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=93103&page_number=1&site
Cable providers use two or more standard 6MHz analog TV channels to carry a digitally modulated signal. Cable is second only to optical fiber in the amount of raw bandwidth available.
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/cable-modem2.htm
Cable now passes 105 million US homes, of which 21% are connected.
See http://www.ncta.com/Docs/PageContent.cfm?pageID=86.
WiFi
WiFi , also known as 802.11x, refers to an IEEE standard detailing a wireless network protocol. Originally designed for wireless home and small business networking, it has been enhanced and adapted to an outdoor environment. For a tutorial on WiFi see http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/tutorials/article.php/1216351.
EarthLink to Sell Off its Muni Wi-Fi Business -- Wi-Fi Planet, February 8, 2008
Last November, EarthLink announced it would not make any further “significant investments” in its muni wireless business and that it would “begin a process to consider its strategic alternatives.” Yesterday, the company announced that the alternative it has settled on is to sell off the business altogether.
Municipal Broadband: Demystifying Wireless and Fiber-Optic Options -- New Rules Project, January, 2008
The United States, creator of the Internet, increasingly lags in access to it. In the absence of a national broadband strategy, many communities have invested in broadband infrastructure, especially wireless broadband, to offer broadband choices to their residents. Newspaper headlines rumpeting the death of municipal wireless networks ignore the increasing investments by cities in Wi-Fi systems. At the same time, the wireless focus by others diverts resources and action away from building the necessary long term foundation for high speed information: fiber optic networks.
Why WiFi Networks are Floundering - BusinessWeek, Olga Kharif, August 15, 2007
The road is getting bumpier for cities and the companies they have partnered with in a bid to blanket their streets with high-speed Internet access at little or no cost to users. While 415 U.S. cities and counties are now building or planning to build municipal Wi-Fi networks, "deployments are slowing down slightly," says Esme Vos, founder of consultancy MuniWireless.com.
Telecom Ottawa is more excited about its Wi-Fi initiatives than BPL:
http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/columns/article.php/3485491
WiMax
WiMax is an improved microwave wireless protocol. It was intentionally designed to provide mesh and backhaul capabilities and overcomes many of the problems associated with 802.11 "hot spot" implementations.
"Winner: Sprint's Broadband Gamble" IEEE Spectrum Online - Steven Cherry (January 2008)
Eventually, Sprint officials hope to lure entire industries. For example, gas and electric companies typically build large-scale communications networks to monitor their sprawling distribution networks. According to Warren Causey, vice president of Sierra Energy Group, Xohm “offers utilities the advantage of no longer having to manage complex wireless networks.”
The link between WiMax and small business is explored in this article:
http://smallbusiness.itworld.com/4384/featurelink_wiresmb050309/page_1.html
Plainfield, VT is planning to use WiMax in an area wide broadband service:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/vermont/articles/2005/02/17/rural_broadband_coming_to_plainfield_marshfield_area
Internationally, WiMax is making inroads in China:
http://www.adaptix.com/content/files/020805_Beijing_Airways.pdf
and in the UK:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/1/hi/technology/4462167.stm
Mesh networks use an array of WiFi or WiMax routers, typically mounted on street lights and power poles to provide high-speed self-configuring access over a wide area. WiFi or ZigBee bridges can enable network users or meters, loads and thermostats to communicate and be controlled.
Despite the challenges that come with upgrading a wireless system, substantial cost and operational improvements can be achieved by investing in wireless technologies that support new applications while simplifying network and application integration. UTC's newest research paper, New Wireless Technologies for Utilities, looks more closely at three advanced wireless technologies - WiMAX, Radio-IP, and mesh networking.
Tutorials about Mesh Networks
Here is a tutorial on how mesh networks function:
http://www.wi-fitechnology.com/Wi-Fi_Reports_and_Papers/History_of_Wi-Fi_Mesh_Networks.html
Cisco recently released it's Mesh Technology:
http://rfdesign.com/ar/cisco-mesh-backbone/
http://www.crn.com/sections/breakingnews/breakingnews.jhtml?articleId=173600541
More on mesh from Microsoft:
http://research.microsoft.com/mesh/
Articles about Mesh Networks:
Tropos MetroMesh Proven: Metro-Scale WiFi in Chaska, MN:
http://www.tropos.com/pdf/chaska_performance.pdf
February 1, 2005, Tropos.com -- This white paper describes a successful mesh network in Chaska, MN.
Mesh networks are also proving popular in ad hoc military, public service and emergency service:
http://www.motorola.com/governmentandenterprise/northamerica/en-us/public/functions/browseproduct/productservices.aspx?navigationpath=id_804i
Other Links about Mesh Neworks
Mesh networks, sometimes combined with other technology has led to a boom in Metro WiFi implementation, turning whole towns or even small countries into WiFi "hot spots".
Metro WiFi in Sunnyvale:
http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/13319065.htm
Metro WiFi in Philadelphia:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online/4491506.stm
Metro WiFi in Racine, WI:
http://muniwireless.com/municipal/projects/939
Nationwide WiFi in Macedonia:
http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/news/article.php/3565381
Metro WiFi in Mountain View:
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/business/technology/13182596.htm
Municipal Broadband: Demystifying Wireless and Fiber-Optic Options -- New Rules Project, January, 2008
The United States, creator of the Internet, increasingly lags in access to it. In the absence of a national broadband strategy, many communities have invested in broadband infrastructure, especially wireless broadband, to offer broadband choices to their residents. Newspaper headlines rumpeting the death of municipal wireless networks ignore the increasing investments by cities in Wi-Fi systems. At the same time, the wireless focus by others diverts resources and action away from building the necessary long term foundation for high speed information: fiber optic networks.
Here is an IEEE paper on providing gigabit throughputs on fiber and wireless:
http://www.ieeeusa.org/volunteers/committees/ccip/docs/Gigabit-WP.pdf
At one point, satellite broadband was pretty much one way, with satellite being used to provide downstream service to an end user and dialup usually used to provide slower upstream service back from that user. Today's satellite technology, however, generally runs broadband in both directions, available to urban and rural areas equally.
See the various FAQs on satellite broadband:
http://www.wildblue.com/aboutWildblue/qaa.jsp#4_3
http://www.starband.com/faq/servicefeatures.html
Hughes Network Systems "Directway":
The Directway system requires equipment purchase or rental, but can provide around 500Kb/s speed.
Satellite broadband for rural areas:
This article describes how broadband was brought to a rural community in Ohio, using satellite broadband.
Technology Improvements
Higher speeds on existing medium
Advances permitting higher data rates on one medium can often be applied to other mediums, particularly if the other mediums have higher raw capacity.
CableLabs is working on technology that will let cable operators boost speeds 400% to 1,600%, over their existing lines
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2005-04-05-speed-usat_x.htm
270MB/s over coax cable is already hitting home applications
http://www.eet.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?sssdmh=dm4.162541&articleID=175801344
We sometimes lose sight of the fact that the internet is just that, the interconnection of otherwise independent networks. By following the same standards, networks can communicate with each other, much the same way amateurs can communicate the world over by CW. A mixed technology network would use a combination of all of the above technologies to solve the unique requirements of delivering broadband connectivity.
Motorola has introduced a mixed technology network that uses a "better BPL". http://www.motorola.com/mediacenter/news/detailpf/0,,5519_5509_23,00.html This system teams up the Motorola Canopy wireless solution with a HomePlug low voltage system. The Motorola version of HomePlug has hardware filters for the amateur bands.
Motorola Powerline LV brochure:
http://www.motorola.com/Enterprise/contentdir/en_US/Enterprise/Files/PLV_Brochure.pdf
Green Mountain State to pilot 4G system for statewide broadband
8/10/2007, Mass High Tech, Efrain Viscarolasaga - Vermont officials say they've inked a deal -- aimed at becoming the first "e-state" by 2010 -- that would allow the state to be the first to test a combined satellite and terrestrial wireless network. The new network, being developed by Virginia-based TerreStar Networks Inc., would bring a fourth generation (4G) terrestrial network to Vermont, augmented by satellite communications, to deliver coverage even to hard-to-reach rural areas, such as the 2,000-square-mile northernmost area of the state known as the Northeast Kingdom.
P1777 - http://standards.
ieee.org/ announcements/ pr_P1777new. html
IEEE P1777 will evaluate the potential of wireless technologies in power systems to determine where they are viable alternatives to wired systems and what further development they need in order to meet robustness, security and reliability and other requirements. The standard will explore the potential uses of wireless technologies at many levels of power system operations, including substations, underground vaults, transmission and distribution circuits, generation and distributed generation plants, and customer electrical and metering equipment.
Top 22 U.S. ISPs by Subscriber: Q3 2006
1/1/2007 -- ISP Planet
The top 22 ISPs are listed. First Communications, involved in both DSL and in-premise BPL, is #22, with 0.1% of the total market share. The report does not cite what percentage of their business is BPL, but they do not appear in the industry access BPL database, so their involvement is entirely within building.
Metro Fiber Optic Leader Predicts Minimum 200 Megabits Online Speeds Following Korea and Japan Models
12/13/2006, Government Technology -- "Rusin also discounts claims leading to Broadband over Power Lines as a mass market IP medium as having guaranteed limitations. Though power lines are ubiquitous, they are also made of copper. BPL trials conducted so far have been inconclusive. A byproduct of these early trials has seen several early adopters exiting the technology. Anecdotally, the limited BPL results have a few BPL providers now over-building the power grid with fiber. If BPL was viable -- why would you fiber the power grid? In addition, if you are going to fiber the power grid, it would make more sense to offer wi-fi or WiMAX and wireless backhaul which has a greater bandwidth capacity, albeit not close to fiber, but greater than power distribution copper. BPL is the ISDN of the new millennium -- lots of promise theoretically -- a niche market at best."
