Internet Via Power Lines Works, but Years Away

Dom · Jun 8, 2003, 04:15 PM

BRIARCLIFF MANOR (Reuters) - High-speed Internet access via power lines is as close as an electrical outlet in a house north of New York City, but bringing it to the rest of the world may be a long way off.

Under a research project by Consolidated Edison Inc. and Ambient Corp. , a few modifications allow Internet data to race over decades-old power lines.

The companies hope the technology can bring cheap, fast Web access to any standard household electrical outlet.

"People have been sending signals ... through power lines for a long time," said George Jee, manager for ConEd's power line communication project. "Utilities used to send audio signals across lines to check service."

In the year-old ConEd program, Internet signals are taken from overhead transmission lines through a magnetic coupler and a communications box no bigger than a computer hard drive, both of which are attached to a common power pole.

Data is sent through the lines at a much higher frequency than electricity so neither the power nor the data flow interferes with each other.

"Our focus is on not messing with the electricity, but we can ride on it, the two can co-exist," Jee said.

DECADE AWAY

While European and U.S. utilities have been working since the 1990s to move Internet data on power lines, including a PPL Corp. PPL.N project in Pennsylvania, it may be a while before the average household can simply plug in and log on.

Although there is a huge worldwide infrastructure of power lines, the expense of adding necessary equipment could make power line communications comparatively expensive to other methods of feeding data, like wireless technologies.

"Generally they have proved out the theoretical viability of having broadband communications over power lines," said Dylan Brooks, principle analyst with Telluride, Colorado-based Independence Research, a broadband advisory company.

"The big question is, is this the most cost effective way of bringing a communications alternative to the home, especially at a time where the technology around wirelessly providing these things is proceeding at a more rapid pace?

"It is probably going to be closer to a decade in terms of when you are going to see anything in the mass market," he said.

TRANSFORMER BYPASS

ConEd, New York City's main power provider, and Ambient have built a magnetic coupler that bypasses power transformers -- the trash can-shaped equipment perched on power poles that covert medium voltage energy from transmission lines to low voltage levels distributed to local neighborhoods.

Without the coupler, the Internet data signals would be absorbed by the transformers.

At a small back office in a household garage here in Briarcliff Manor, an affluent suburb 20 miles north of New York City, a computer is receiving both electricity and data from a standard wall-mounted power outlet.

A cord from the socket runs to an electronic box about the size of a brick, which in turn is linked to the computer modem and which powers the computer.

The Internet data is tapped into the power line at a ConEd office about a mile from the test site.

The computer works just like any other with a fast Internet connection, including streaming video.

ConEd and Ambient claim their power line communications experiment has a bandwidth of about 4 megabytes a second, compared with 1.5 megabytes a second through a cable modem and roughly 0.05 megabytes a second from a dial-up service.

"Our connection is faster, and we expect higher speeds once we start working with even better (computer) chips," said Ram Rao, chief network architect for Ambient.

In Briarcliff Manor, a coupler and communications box would have to be installed on a power pole for every three to eight homes to maintain a strong data feed.

They are also required at some transmission intersections, with the amount of equipment required per user dependent on the layout of the local power line system.

ConEd will not say how much all this equipment costs but is hoping to keep the cost of Internet access down to about $30 a month, less than the $42 most people pay for cable Internet. The average monthly cost of a dialup connection is $18.

_______________
Source: Reuters

Veeoh · Jun 8, 2003, 10:29 PM

Years away my arse - they are already trialing it in Winchester, UK - quite successfully I hear...

GOG · Jun 9, 2003, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Veeoh
Years away my arse - they are already trialing it in Winchester, UK - quite successfully I hear...

Agree, it has also been in use in Sweden for almost two years now. The project started 5 years ago. These guys must have lived in a cave the last years.

nForcer · Jun 9, 2003, 02:54 AM

Keep in mind, by the time WE hear about it, it could already have x number of years of development under its belt. I know they have been testing this idea in St Louis, Missouri (USA) since the mid 90's and they are just now allowing companies to 'beta' test the network. I'm not sure how well (or not well) its doing but they just made a public announcement stating what they are trying to do (net over powerlines).

Jun 8, 2003, 04:15 PM	#1
Dom DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 12,940 Rep Power: 0	Internet Via Power Lines Works, but Years Away BRIARCLIFF MANOR (Reuters) - High-speed Internet access via power lines is as close as an electrical outlet in a house north of New York City, but bringing it to the rest of the world may be a long way off. Under a research project by Consolidated Edison Inc. and Ambient Corp. , a few modifications allow Internet data to race over decades-old power lines. The companies hope the technology can bring cheap, fast Web access to any standard household electrical outlet. "People have been sending signals ... through power lines for a long time," said George Jee, manager for ConEd's power line communication project. "Utilities used to send audio signals across lines to check service." In the year-old ConEd program, Internet signals are taken from overhead transmission lines through a magnetic coupler and a communications box no bigger than a computer hard drive, both of which are attached to a common power pole. Data is sent through the lines at a much higher frequency than electricity so neither the power nor the data flow interferes with each other. "Our focus is on not messing with the electricity, but we can ride on it, the two can co-exist," Jee said. DECADE AWAY While European and U.S. utilities have been working since the 1990s to move Internet data on power lines, including a PPL Corp. PPL.N project in Pennsylvania, it may be a while before the average household can simply plug in and log on. Although there is a huge worldwide infrastructure of power lines, the expense of adding necessary equipment could make power line communications comparatively expensive to other methods of feeding data, like wireless technologies. "Generally they have proved out the theoretical viability of having broadband communications over power lines," said Dylan Brooks, principle analyst with Telluride, Colorado-based Independence Research, a broadband advisory company. "The big question is, is this the most cost effective way of bringing a communications alternative to the home, especially at a time where the technology around wirelessly providing these things is proceeding at a more rapid pace? "It is probably going to be closer to a decade in terms of when you are going to see anything in the mass market," he said. TRANSFORMER BYPASS ConEd, New York City's main power provider, and Ambient have built a magnetic coupler that bypasses power transformers -- the trash can-shaped equipment perched on power poles that covert medium voltage energy from transmission lines to low voltage levels distributed to local neighborhoods. Without the coupler, the Internet data signals would be absorbed by the transformers. At a small back office in a household garage here in Briarcliff Manor, an affluent suburb 20 miles north of New York City, a computer is receiving both electricity and data from a standard wall-mounted power outlet. A cord from the socket runs to an electronic box about the size of a brick, which in turn is linked to the computer modem and which powers the computer. The Internet data is tapped into the power line at a ConEd office about a mile from the test site. The computer works just like any other with a fast Internet connection, including streaming video. ConEd and Ambient claim their power line communications experiment has a bandwidth of about 4 megabytes a second, compared with 1.5 megabytes a second through a cable modem and roughly 0.05 megabytes a second from a dial-up service. "Our connection is faster, and we expect higher speeds once we start working with even better (computer) chips," said Ram Rao, chief network architect for Ambient. In Briarcliff Manor, a coupler and communications box would have to be installed on a power pole for every three to eight homes to maintain a strong data feed. They are also required at some transmission intersections, with the amount of equipment required per user dependent on the layout of the local power line system. ConEd will not say how much all this equipment costs but is hoping to keep the cost of Internet access down to about $30 a month, less than the $42 most people pay for cable Internet. The average monthly cost of a dialup connection is $18. _______________ Source: Reuters

Jun 8, 2003, 10:29 PM	#2
Veeoh DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: South UK Posts: 23 Rep Power: 0	Years away my arse - they are already trialing it in Winchester, UK - quite successfully I hear...

Jun 9, 2003, 02:54 AM	#4
nForcer Twice the fun! Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 1,404 Rep Power: 0	Keep in mind, by the time WE hear about it, it could already have x number of years of development under its belt. I know they have been testing this idea in St Louis, Missouri (USA) since the mid 90's and they are just now allowing companies to 'beta' test the network. I'm not sure how well (or not well) its doing but they just made a public announcement stating what they are trying to do (net over powerlines).