Report: 2005 Could Be Breakthrough Year for ‘Broadband Over Powerline’ Serving U.S. Consumers, Businesses

Broadband over powerline (BPL) technology may be "primed for real growth in 2005 and beyond" across the United States, according to a new white paper released recently by the New Millennium Research Council (NMRC). Trials and actual commercial deployments of BPL systems are on the rise, with over 20 projects in operation in 2004 and more expected to come online in 2005. By one estimate, roughly a quarter million homes in the United States already had the opportunity to choose BPL services in 2004.

Entitled "Powering the Broadband Market in 2005 and Beyond," the NMRC white paper asks: "Is 2005 the year of BPL? There are a number of signs that suggest this could be the time the technology begins its emergence as a viable competitor in the broadband market … Today, electric utilities across the country are deploying the necessary technology to provide broadband and other advanced communications services, such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), via the power lines that connect to virtually every home and business. Many industry watchers and representatives now believe BPL can dramatically change the landscape of the broadband market, offering new forms of competition and delivering high-quality service to remote areas. During the past two years, the commercial and media perspectives on BPL in the United States have evolved from categorizing the technology as ‘almost ready’ to ‘really here.’"

Full Story: http://www.govtech.net/news/news.php?id=93220