FCC pushes for Broadband over Power Lines

FCC PUSHES FOR BROADBAND OVER POWER LINES
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Anne Broache]
Federal regulators renewed on Thursday their push for a wider rollout of what has been hailed as a viable "third pipe" for the many areas where broadband choices have been limited to DSL or cable modems. If broadband over power lines, or BPL, takes off, then more Americans, particularly in rural and underserved areas, will be able to plug into high-speed Internet access, and markets dominated by cable and DSL (digital subscriber line) should be forced to lower consumers' bills, members of the Federal Communications Commission said at their monthly meeting here. The FCC unanimously adopted an order designed to reaffirm and build on the first set of rules issued for the technology in 2004, which had drawn a number of reservations from both inside and outside the industry. The original guidelines focused on preventing the nascent Internet service from causing harmful interference with radio signals that rely on nearby frequencies, such as those commonly used in aviation and in zones near U.S. Coast Guard and radio astronomy stations. "It is my hope that our rules will allow BPL systems to flourish," FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said Thursday. Commissioner Michael Copps said he believed the order strikes an "acceptable balance" but warned that the FCC would continue to keep a close eye on complaints about interference.
http://news.com.com/FCC+pushes+for+broadband+over+power+lines/2100-1028_...

* FCC order
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-266773A1.doc

* Broadband Over Power Lines Gets Government Push
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6359053?display=Breaking+News

* FCC Votes To Free Up Airwaves, Boost Power Line Broadband
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-ZTVR1154636379331.htm...