Growing interest in wall-socket Net access

Iria · Aug 19, 2006, 05:50 AM

Source: SFGate
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With much fanfare, AT&T and PG&E announced in the summer of 2004 that they were teaming up to test technology for broadband Internet access over ordinary power lines -- plug into a wall socket and you're online.

Michael Powell, then-chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, even showed up at the Menlo Park lab where the companies were promising connection speeds as fast as cable and DSL hookups. "I think this is critical technology," he said. "This is something we want to see happen."

Then, just a few months later, AT&T quietly shut down the tests, saying broadband over power lines (BPL) technology didn't mesh with the company's newfound emphasis on business customers.

So where are we now? With high-speed Internet access rapidly becoming a choice between only two providers -- phone and cable companies -- is there any hope that competition can be increased via utility-sponsored BPL service to people's homes?

Aug 19, 2006, 05:50 AM	#1
Iria DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 7,275 Rep Power: 89	Growing interest in wall-socket Net access Source: SFGate _______ With much fanfare, AT&T and PG&E announced in the summer of 2004 that they were teaming up to test technology for broadband Internet access over ordinary power lines -- plug into a wall socket and you're online. Michael Powell, then-chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, even showed up at the Menlo Park lab where the companies were promising connection speeds as fast as cable and DSL hookups. "I think this is critical technology," he said. "This is something we want to see happen." Then, just a few months later, AT&T quietly shut down the tests, saying broadband over power lines (BPL) technology didn't mesh with the company's newfound emphasis on business customers. So where are we now? With high-speed Internet access rapidly becoming a choice between only two providers -- phone and cable companies -- is there any hope that competition can be increased via utility-sponsored BPL service to people's homes?