FCC Perspective

1
FCC Perspective on
Broadband Over Power Line
Bruce Franca Deputy Chief
Office of Engineering and Technology FEDERAL
COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
2
Outline

• Evolution of Communication Technologies over
  Power lines
• Benefits of Access BPL and Access BPL Rulemaking
• What are FCC requirements for Access BPL?
• Transition
• The Future of BPL
• Other Issues / Next Steps

3
Communication over Power Lines

• Carrier current systems have been around for many
  years
• Some examples
• Campus radio systems
• Lamp/thermostat controllers
• Until recently, general characteristics of
  carrier current systems were
• Low frequency
• Low speed
• Narrow frequency/spectrum bands
• Used inside buildings/controlled environments
  (campus)

4
Broadband over Power lines

• NEW Broadband over Power Lines (BPL) operations
  are different
• Advanced digital processing and modulation
  techniques
• Multiple carriers
• Wide spectrum bandwidths (e.g., 2-80 MHz)
• Two General Applications
• Access systems Internet/broadband to
  neighborhood using medium voltage lines
• In-Home or in-building operations (HomePlug)

5
Two Types of BPL

• In-Home Computer Networking, Or Link Between
  Access BPL Home
• Low Voltage (120/240 VAC)

• Broadband Internet Service
• Medium Voltage (e.g. 10kV)

In-House BPL
Access BPL
Access BPL connects to computers in the home
byin-house BPL or by WiFi (wireless)
6
MVolts
1kVolts to 40 kVolts
120/240 Volts
LV Distribution Transformer
Substation
Power Line Interface Device Located In Home
Internet
ACCESS BPL
7
Benefits of BPL

• Last Mile solution potential 3rd Pipe ( DSL
  Cable) to bring broadband services to the home
• Internet and high speed broadband access to wider
  areas of the country
• Promote redundancy of communications systems
• Improve utilities management of electric grid
• remote power outage notification, security
  monitoring, traffic control, remote meter
  reading, instant Wi-Fi Hot Spot installation
• Enhance national security of energy distribution
  systems
• Foster development of smart appliances and
  resource sharing (home networking)

8
Access BPL Rule Making

• Notice of Inquiry April 2003
• Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) February
  2004
• Adopted October 14, 2004, released October 28,
  2004
• ET Docket 04-37, FCC 04-245
• http//hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/
  FCC-04-245A1.doc

Report and Order
9
Objectives

• Remove regulatory uncertainty to encourage
  investments in BPL
• Promote development of Access BPL technology to
  allow consumers to reap its benefits
• Ensure protection of licensed radio services
• Ensure that compliance measurements are made in a
  consistent manner with repeatable results

10
Access BPL Rules I

• Access BPL remains under Part 15 unlicensed
  device rules (new Subpart G)
• No change in existing Part 15 emission levels
  (low power unlicensed operation)
• Access BPL operations cannot cause harmful
  interference and must accept any interference (47
  C.F.R 15.5)

11
Access BPL Rules II

• Access BPL must include adaptive interference
  mitigation capabilities to avoid local and
  site-specific interference, e.g.
• Exclude or notch any specific frequency or band
• Remotely shut off any BPL device

12
Access BPL Rules III

• BPL cannot operate on certain excluded frequency
  bands
• Specifically, the following 12 Aeronautical (R)
  frequencies (communications restricted to safety
  and regularity of flight)

13
Access BPL Rules IV

• Establishes exclusion zones within which Access
  BPL must avoid operating on certain frequencies
• Access BPL must avoid using 2182 kHz (2173.5-
  2190.5 kHz) within 1 km of a U.S. Coast Guard or
  maritime public coast station
• Access BPL using overhead power lines must avoid
  using 73-74.6 MHz within 29 km of ten radio
  astronomy sites (Very Long Baseline Array
  facilities)
• Access BPL using underground power lines or
  overhead low voltage power lines must avoid using
  73-74.6 MHz within 11 km of these ten radio
  astronomy sites

14
Access BPL Rules V

• Establishes consultation requirements for BPL
  with public safety, and certain sensitive federal
  and aeronautical stations
• Establishes a good faith process to ensure that
  
• Access BPL systems do not cause interference and
• Any restrictions by licensees on BPL are only
  those necessary to avoid interference

15
Access BPL Rules VI

• Requires industry to establish a publicly
  accessible database for Access BPL systems
  containing
• Access BPL Provider Name
• Access BPL deployment by zip code
• Frequency bands of operation
• Type of equipment (FCC ID)
• Contact Information (phone number and email
  address) to facilitate interference resolution
• Proposed or Actual date of Access BPL operation

16
Database Requirements

• The industry will select the database
  administrator and must inform the Commission
  within 180 days of publication of Report and
  Order in the Federal Register
• The Commission will issue a Public Notice
  announcing the identity of the database
  administrator

17
Access BPL Rules VII

• Changes equipment authorization requirements for
  Access BPL devices from Verification to FCC
  Certification, to be carried out by the BPL
  manufacturer
• Certification is an equipment authorization
  issued by the FCC and requires manufacturers to
  submit testing and measurement data to the FCC
• Under Verification, the manufacturer determines
  the equipment is compliant and no data is
  submitted to the FCC unless requested

18
Access BPL Certification
Submit Application to TCB new technology, not
permitted
F C C G R A N T
Label Product
Prepare Test Report and Application
Submit Application to FCC
Market Product
19
Access BPL Rules VIII

• Provides new measurement procedures and
  guidelines to ensure that testing of Access BPL
  and other carrier current devices is performed in
  a more consistent and repeatable manner
• Recommends that BPL operators perform testing
  during initial installation and periodically to
  ensure compliance

20
Mitigation Responsibility

• Protection of Licensed Radio Services is provided
  by
• the emissions limits for Access BPL systems (low
  Part 15 levels)
• the provisions for consultation areas, excluded
  bands, and exclusion zones and
• the requirement that Access BPL systems not cause
  interference.
• The mitigation requirements are intended to
  ensure that Access BPL systems are designed with
  features that support interference mitigation
• during initial installation, if sensitive local
  communications systems are identified in advance
  and
• after installation, the newly required
  operational capabilities will allow Access BPL
  system operators to expeditiously resolve any
  instances of interference that may occur, without
  the need to cease operations and thereby disrupt
  the broadband data services they provide to their
  subscribers.

21
Interference Complaints Procedure I

• Parties who believe they are experiencing
  interference from an unlicensed device are first
  expected to bring the matter to the attention of
  the operator of the unlicensed device.
• If that action does not resolve the interference,
  the party may then seek intervention by the
  Commission.

22
Interference Complaints Procedure II

• In the event a BPL interference complaint is
  filed by a licensee with the Commission, the
  Commission will contact the complainant and/or
  the BPL provider to determine if they have first
  attempted to resolve the interference complaint
  among themselves.
• If they have not made such an attempt, the
  complaint will be forwarded to the BPL provider
  for action and the complainant notified that they
  will be contacted by the BPL provider concerning
  their interference complaint.
• The Commission may periodically monitor the
  resolution process to ensure that the parties are
  working in good faith and making appropriate
  progress in resolving the interference complaint.
  
• If the parties have attempted to address the
  complaint but the matter remains unresolved, the
  Commission, through its Enforcement Bureau with
  assistance from the Office of Engineering and
  Technology, will review the complaint and take
  appropriate action.

23
Transition

• Rules Effective 30 days from publication of BPL
  Report and Order in Federal Register
• for all new BPL equipment
• Transition time
• 18 months from publication of BPL Report and
  Order in Federal Register for BPL equipment
  already installed, manufactured or imported
  before the above deadline

24
The Future of BPL

• The FCC has adopted minimal technical and
  administrative rules intended to create a
  positive growth environment for BPL and to
  facilitate investments in this technology
• The concerns with BPL potential interference
  issues are addressed by adopting the necessary
  restrictions on BPL operations to protect
  licensed radio services
• The adoption of a reasonable mechanism for
  interference resolution allows BPL operators to
  continue to provide uninterrupted service to
  their subscribers while addressing interference
  complaints
• The future of BPL will depend on BPL investments
  and innovative business plans

25
Other Issues / Next Steps

• ARRL FOIA request of test results
• Some Outstanding Interference Complaints
• Potential Petitions for Reconsideration
• Helping Local Government on BPL Regulatory Issues
• NARUC
• SEARUC
• Continuing to work with NTIA and FERC
• Cooperating with our neighbors on BPL (Canada)