Newly signed stimulus package may fund broadband over power lines expansion.

WD8AQS · #1 02-18-2009, 12:05 PM

IBM announced that it hopes to use its share of the $787 billion stimulus package to help roll out Internet services over power lines to rural areas of the country. IBM is teaming up with International Broadband Electric Communications (IBEC) to offer BPL to customers in rural Alabama, Indiana, Michigan and Virginia. The economic stimulus package allows for up to 2.5 billion dollars for broadband service expansion to rural America. It is unknown at this time how much IBM, IBEC will get for their BPL expansion plans.

http://www.reuters.com/article/marke...38980420090217

W1RFI · #2 02-19-2009, 02:33 AM

Smart grid does not necessarily mean BPL. In fact, most utilities implementing grid automation are choosing other techologies as their backbone.

http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/UtilityApplications.html

Ed Hare, W1RFI

K0RO · #3 02-19-2009, 02:49 AM

Ed--

Did you read the Reuters piece or not? It doesn't look like SmartGrid...it looks like BPL...even described as using radio waves...

N2TJX · #4 02-19-2009, 03:35 AM

The best part is, we're paying for it!

VOTE DEM! YEA!

NI4JM · #5 02-19-2009, 04:23 AM

We have Communists running our government now. What more perfect a way to control the population than to have access to every outlet in ones home via a "Smart Grid". Not that our wonderful, benevolent leaders would ever use the system to harm or control us ... why who could think such a thing?!

VE4KV · #6 02-19-2009, 05:37 AM

That's it ! I'm gonna start wearing my TinFoil hat 24/7 from now on!

WA6RZ · #7 02-19-2009, 05:53 AM

UGH....... Not only are they going to suck out the money from my kids, they are clueless on how to spend it.

W5GHZ · #8 02-19-2009, 08:48 AM

Ed,

Remember the telephone call I made to you regarding some comments President Obama made during his campaign or just after being elected regarding "I'm going to bring Broadband Power Line to every house in America" and you said that wasn't what he meant? I said " Time will tell". I guess it is time.

BPL is big, big, big money if these jokers can get it moving and I would imagine that some of our wealthy congressmen have a big steak in it's comming to fruition, considering how it all got pushed through the FCC to start with. IMHO.

I have been fighting with Oklahoma Gas and Electric since 1982 in every location that I have lived in Oklahoma regarding powerline noise and they never have fixed the problem. How do you think they will manage BPL? The answer is they won't. The FCC will whine that they don't have enough money or manpower to enforce the rules and regulations and everyone that uses the HF spectrum will have to put up with intolerable interference. If the FCC would start levying some two-thousand dollar a day fines and throwing some CEO's in jail, the problem would get fixed in a hurry. But, that is not politically correct.

The fine would only be $19,710,000 for my interference problem. That is just a drop in the bucket compared to what Congress is handing out in bailout money. This country is already gone to hell in the proverbial hand basket and our leaders just do not seem to care

W1RFI · #9 02-19-2009, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by K0RO

Ed--

Did you read the Reuters piece or not? It doesn't look like SmartGrid...it looks like BPL...even described as using radio waves...

IBEC and, to some extent, IBM, are pushing BPL, although the difficulties encountered before this technology is "all fixed now" have made IBM a bit more diverse in their approach.

Using radio waves can, and often is, wireless, typically on 2.4 GHz. Other wired approaches use the power lines, but below 500 kHz, where the permitted power levels for utility use are much higher than BPL.

The important point is that Smart Grid does not necessarily equate to BPL, and many in the smart-grid industry are of the mind that using the grid to control the grid is a technical faux pas. The time the grid will need control the most is when it is failing and any failure is also apt to affect the control mechanism if it is not independent of the grid.

Ed, W1RFI

KA5S · #10 02-19-2009, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WD8AQS

...allows for up to 2.5 billion dollars for broadband service expansion to rural America. It is unknown at this time how much IBM, IBEC will get for their BPL expansion plans.

[u rl]http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN1738980420090217[/u rl]

IBEC already has a Department of Agriculture $50 million loan to roll out BPL in this area. Some of our Michigan MARS members will be impacted and you can be sure we are looking out for it. Yes, there is a procedure for reporting interference to military and Federal radio systems.

Cortland
KA5S
AAR5UT