Broadband Over Power Lines

1
FCC Update on
Broadband Over Power Lines
Bruce Franca Deputy Chief Office of Engineering
and Technology Federal Communications
Commission May 25, 2005
2
Support for BPL

• President Bush (supports technical standards
  to make possible new broadband technologies, such
  as the use of high speed communications directly
  over power lines.)
• FERC Chairman Wood (in joint statement with FCC
  Chairman Powell -- urge utilities to pursue new
  and developing technologies that foster
  broadband provide more efficient power
  management and ensure increased reliability.)
• Asst. Sec. Gallagher (responsible technical
  rules that fully address the potential for
  harmful interference to vital radio systems)

3
Benefits of BPL

• Last Mile solution potential 3rd Pipe ( DSL
  Cable) to bring broadband services to the home
• Promote redundancy of communications systems
• Improve utilities management of electric grid
• remote power outage notification, load
  management, traffic control, remote meter reading
• Enhance national security of energy distribution
  systems
• Further FCCs Broadband objectives

4
Two Types of BPL

• ACCESS BPL
• Broadband Internet Service
• Medium Voltage (e.g. 10kV) Low Voltage
  Power Grid

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

Access BPL connects to computers in the home
byin-house BPL or by WiFi (wireless)
5
New Rules for Access BPL

• Recognize BPL Interference Potential
• RF signals carried on long overhead wires
• Need to protect licensed operations
• Need for New Requirements to Manage Interference
  Potential
• Ensure that BPL systems have the capability to
  avoid causing interference
• Ensure that BPL systems can correct any
  interference without ceasing broadband service to
  the public

6
New Rules for Access BPL

• Solution
• Low (Part 15) power levels
• Capability to avoid local co-channel operations
• Geographic separation
• Registration/Notification program

7
Access BPL Rules (1)

• 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)

8
Part 15 devices at the Francas

• 2 Baby Monitors
• 4 Cordless phones
• 2 Garage Door openers with 4 remotes
• 4 Car Keyless entry systems
• 2 Laptops 2 PCs
• 2 WiFi devices
• 2 Ipods and MP-3 players
• 4 TVs (I HDTV)
• 5 AM/FM radios
• 1 RF remote
• 2 Set-top boxes
• 2 RC Toys
• CEA estimates more than 348 million Part 15
  consumer devices in US.
• About 40 at the Francas.

9
Access BPL Rules (2)

• 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

10
Access BPL Rules (3)

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

2850-3025 kHz 3400-3500 kHz 4650-4700 kHz
5450-5680 kHz 6525-6685 kHz 8815-8965 kHz
10005-10100 kHz 11275-11400 kHz 13260-13360 kHz
17900-17970 kHz 21924-22000 kHz 74.8-75.2 MHz
11
Access BPL Rules (4)

• Establish 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

12
Access BPL Rules (5)

• Establish consultation requirements for BPL
  with public safety, and certain sensitive federal
  and aeronautical stations
• Establish a good faith interference resolution
  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

13
Access BPL Rules (6)

• 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

14
Access BPL Rules (7)

• 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

15
Access BPL Rules (8)

• Provide 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
• Recommend that BPL operators perform testing
  during initial installation and periodically to
  ensure compliance

16
Next Steps

• Resolve Few Outstanding Interference Complaints
• Address Petitions for Reconsideration
• Continue work with NTIA and FERC

17
Access BPL Rulemaking Info
Report and Order

• Adopted October 14, 2004, released October 28,
  2004
• Published in Federal Register January 7, 2005
• ET Docket 04-37, FCC 04-245
• http//hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/
  FCC-04-245A1.doc
• bruce.franca_at_fcc.gov