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Power-line communication

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Power line communication (PLC), also called Broadband over Power Lines(BPL), is wireline method of communication using the existing electric power transmission and electricity distribution lines. The carrier can communicate voice and data by superimposing an analogue signal over the standard 50 or 60 Hz alternating current (AC).

Types of PLC technology

There are two main classes of PLC :

PLIC

PLIC Power Line Indoors or Internal Telecoms: This is using the home grid to establish telecoms, such as the Homeplug system. PLIC is one of the technologies used in domotics (another is wireless telecoms; the utilities can offer too wireless middleware (integrated PLC and WiFi based structure).

PUA is the PLC Utilities Alliance.

There are also some very low-bitrate power line communication systems used for meter reading. The X.10 home automation system uses power line communication at the zero crossing voltage point in the AC wave.

PLOC

PLOC Power Line Outdoors Telecoms: this is the telecoms between the electric substations and home networks (PLC modems). The standard is ETSI PLT, twenty times faster than ADSL.

PLC modems employs 11 Volts and transmit in high frequency ( 1.6 to 30 MHz electric carrier). The asymmetric speed in the modem is generally from 256 Kbit/s to 2.7 Mbit/s.

In the repeater situated in the meter room the speed is up to 45 Mbit/s and can be connected to 256 PLC modems.

In the medium voltage stations, the speed from the head ends to the Internet is up to 135 Mbit/s. To connect to the Internet, utilities can use optical fiber backbone or wireless link.

Broadband over Power Lines

Broadband over Power Lines (BPL) is the use of PLOC technology to provide broadband Internet access through ordinary power lines. A computer (or any other device) would need only to plug a BPL "modem" into any outlet in an equipped building to have high-speed Internet access.

BPL offers obvious benefits over regular cable or DSL connections: the intensive infrastructure already available would allow more people in more locations to have access to the Internet. Also, such ubiquitous availability would make it much easier for other electronics, such as televisions or sound systems, to hook up.

Some groups oppose the proliferation of this technology, mostly due to its potential to interfere with radio transmissions. As power lines are typically untwisted and unshielded, they are essentially large antennas, and will broadcast large amounts of radio energy (see the National Association for Amateur Radio's article).

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