NETWORK WORLD NEWSLETTER: CAROLYN DUFFY MARSAN'S ISP NEWS REPORT 10/27/04 Today's focus: FCC backs broadband over power line services
Dear [EMAIL PROTECTED], In this issue: * FCC affirms widespread deployment of broadband over power ��lines * Links related to ISP News Report * Featured reader resource _______________________________________________________________ This newsletter is sponsored by Veritas IDC White Paper, Distributed Applications Performance Management Performance management of distributed applications continues to grow in complexity, keeping pace with this constantly changing environment is a challenge for IT and performance management software vendors alike. Learn how the Veritas i3 Approach can be the foundation for your organization's Application Performance Management strategy. Download this IDC White Paper now http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=85620 _______________________________________________________________ NOW AVAILABLE! Networking for Small Business website Get all the combined Small Business advice, authority, and know-how from the experts at NW Fusion and PC World distilled into one powerful resource, the new Networking for Small Business website. Find everything your small business needs regarding Security, Networking, Broadband, Hardware, Software, and Wireless and Mobile technology at: http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=85524 _______________________________________________________________ Today's focus: FCC backs broadband over power line services By Carolyn Duffy Marsan Small offices and telecommuters may soon be able to purchase broadband Internet service over power lines thanks to an FCC announcement this month of support for broadband-over-power line. The electric utility industry has been waiting three years for the FCC to issue a report about BPL services. In its decision, the FCC unanimously affirmed widespread deployment of such services, and made changes to Part 15 of its rules to encourage the development of BPL services. BPL is an emerging technology that provides high-speed broadband services over the nation's power grid. BPL allows consumers to receive broadband services anywhere they have an electric outlet, without having to lay additional LAN cable throughout their homes or offices. Rollout of BPL services would be accompanied by an upgrade to the power grid. This upgrade has the potential to improve the reliability and efficiency of the power grid by providing utilities with automated detection of failures and outages as well as automated meter reading. The FCC ruling included steps designed to prevent BPL services from causing interference for licensed radio users who had raised some concerns about the technology. In addition to the FCC ruling, FCC Chairman Michael Powell and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Pat Wood issued a joint statement agreeing that "BPL holds great promise for the American public." "The provision of high-speed communications capabilities over utility poles and electric power lines provides an opportunity to increase the competitive broadband choices that are available to customers and the power supply system management options of utilities," Powell and Wood stated. Companies trying to bring BPL services to market hailed the FCC decision. "The FCC decision was first and foremost a vote of confidence in BPL," says Bill Berkman, chairman of Current Communications Group, a Germantown, Md., start-up that is providing BPL services to nearly 50,000 homes in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana through a joint venture with Cinergy, an electric utility. The Current/Cinergy project is the largest commercial rollout of BPL services in the country, Berkman says. This rollout offers Internet access of up to 3M bit/sec in every room of a home that has an electric outlet. The cost for the 3M-bit/sec service is $49.96 per month, with slower services being available for as little as $29.94. Berkman admits that his company's BPL services are not priced much below those offered by cable or DSL providers. However, he says the advantage of BPL is in ease of set-up and the fact that customers do not have to buy or install a LAN. He says BPL will be a viable alternative in rural areas of the country where DSL and cable modem services are not yet available. In their joint statement, Powell and Wood recommended that BPL services "should be allowed to develop according to market demands with minimal regulation." RELATED EDITORIAL LINKS FCC news release about BPL http://www.nwfusion.com/nlisp762 Joint statement by Chairmans Powell and Wood http://www.nwfusion.com/nlisp763 Network World Encyclopedia: BPL http://www.nwfusion.com/details/6121.html?def _______________________________________________________________ To contact: Carolyn Duffy Marsan Carolyn Duffy Marsan is a senior editor with Network World and covers emerging Internet technologies and standards. Reach her at <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> _______________________________________________________________ This newsletter is sponsored by Veritas IDC White Paper, Distributed Applications Performance Management Performance management of distributed applications continues to grow in complexity, keeping pace with this constantly changing environment is a challenge for IT and performance management software vendors alike. Learn how the Veritas i3 Approach can be the foundation for your organization's Application Performance Management strategy. Download this IDC White Paper now http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=85619 _______________________________________________________________ ARCHIVE LINKS Archive of the ISP News Report newsletter (formerly Internet Services): http://www.nwfusion.com/newsletters/isp/index.html _______________________________________________________________ FEATURED READER RESOURCE NW FUSION'S LIVING BUYER'S GUIDES Updated constantly, NW Fusion's Buyer's Guides give you the latest information on product capabilities, features, requirements, pricing and more. Check out NW Fusion's Buyer's Guides on security, instant messaging, enterprise routers, anti-spam, NAS Appliances and more at: <http://www.nwfusion.com/reviews/bg.html> _______________________________________________________________ May We Send You a Free Print Subscription? You've got the technology snapshot of your choice delivered at your fingertips each day. 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