The Hindu Business Line : Move to provide high-speed Net over power lines

YOU may not have a phone or a telephone line for accessing the Internet and still get high speed Internet using the power line reaching your home. The Government is formulating a policy to promote Broadband over Power Line as part of the New Telecom Policy 2005.

The Broadband over Power Line technology allows Internet data to be transmitted over utility power lines. To make use of Broadband over Power Line, subscribers use neither a phone, a cable nor a satellite connection. Instead, a subscriber installs a modem that plugs into an ordinary wall outlet and pays a subscription fee similar to those paid for other types of Internet service.

The technology works by modulating high-frequency radio waves with the digital signals from the Internet. These radio waves are fed into the power grid at specific points. They travel along the wires and pass through the transformers to subscribers' homes and businesses. Not much modification is necessary to the utility grid to allow transmission of Broadband over Power Line.

Operators, however, point out that the technology is yet to be standardised and many issues need to be resolved before consumers can benefit from it. For instance, they are not sure if the disorganised power infrastructure in the country will be able to transmit Internet without losing any data. This mode has been deployed in the US and in a few other countries, with varying results. While some experts say Broadband over Power Line represents an ideal solution for the rural areas, others fear that the technology will interfere with fire, police and other radio systems. In the US, amateur radio operators have voiced their concerns as well.

Reports, however, suggest that global firms, including Google, IBM and Motorola, see a huge potential in the technology and are pouring money into it. It is predicted that Broadband over Power Line revenue will increase from $57 million in 2004 to $4.4 billion in 2011. If the technology succeeds, it could provide a cheaper alternative to the consumers wanting to reap the benefits of broadband.

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Move to provide high-speed Net over power lines