Basic presentation

Knowledge to Shape Your Future
Electric / Gas / Water
Information collection, analysis and application
Broadband or Internet
Over Power Lines
Muhammad
zubair
Presentation
toPica

Information collection, analysis and
application
What is BPL?
• BPL is the technology which enables Broadband internet
access via electrical outlets in a home or through Wi-Fi
from a neighborhood transformer.
• It is a technology which works by injecting signals in the
2-30 MHz range in powerlines and repeating the signal
after regular distance.
• The transformers are either bypassed by couplers or the
signal is forced through the transformer.

application
Who are the players?
– Main.net
• Ameren
• PPL
• Avista ( Spokane)
• City of Manassas
• Dominion
• Southern Company
• FPL
• TECO
• PG&E
– Current Technologies
• Cinergy
• Pepco
• Hawaiian Electric
• Kissimmee Power
Authority
– Ambient Corp
• Con Ed
• Southern
• Idaho Power
• Orange & Rockland
– Amperion
• AEP
• PPL
• Southern
• Bowling Green
• Alliant
• Progress Energy
• TXU
• Hawaiian
• PG&E
• Idaho Power

application
Who are the players?
Other emerging players are…
• Corridor Systems
• Powercomm
• DS2
• Mitsubishi
• Ascom
• And many others

application
How does the technology work?

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Why are utilities interested?
• Utilities can offer broadband service to every home with
their ubiquitous network.
• Broadband is the fastest growing telecom segment in
United States.
• Utilities see a promise of various utility applications on the
broadband, IP enabled network piggy riding on their
electric network.

application
Which utilities are piloting BPL?
A LOT OF THEM
Commercial deployment
Trial
City of Manassas
PPL
Cinergy
ConEd
Conectiv
PEPCO
Southern
Florida Power & Light
AEP
Consumers
Cullman CoopAmeren
RPU
IPALCO
TECO
Fayetteville
Indianola Municipal
OPPDAPS
Idaho Power
Hawaiian Electric
Sierra Pacific
PG&E
Santee Cooper
Coweta Fayette
EMC
Progress Energy
Penn Yan
Chelan PUD
Douglas PUD
Dominion
Duke
Central Virginia Coop
Bowling Green
TXU
SMECO
Avista
Kissimmee
New Horizon
Clyde
Orange & Rockland
Bowling Green
Alliant

application
Elements of BPL Rollout
• From the end user’s perspective, BPL technology works by
sending high speed data along medium or low voltage power
lines into the customer’s home.
• The signal traverses the network over medium and low voltage
lines either through the transformers or by-passes the
transformer using bridges or couplers.
• BPL technology transports data, voice and video at broadband
speeds to the end-user’s connection.
• The user only needs to plug an electrical cord from the “BPL
modem” into any electrical outlet then plug an Ethernet or USB
cable into the Ethernet card or USB interface on their PC.
• Any Internet Service Provider (ISP) can interface with the BPL
network and provide high speed Internet access.
• The data signal can also interconnect with wireless, fiber or
other media for backhaul and last mile completion.

application
Elements of a BPL Rollout
Cell
#2
Cell
#3
Cell
#5
Cell
#1
Cell
#4
HV
Lines
HV
Lines
MV
Lines
MV
Lines
To Fiber-
Based
Data
Network
To Fiber-
Based
Data
HV
Lines
HV
Lines
MV
Substation
LV
Line

application
Who is pushing for BPL?
FCC
• Needs multiple means to provide broadband access to all US.
• Supporting other new broadband technologies as well.
BPL Vendors
• Strong marketing of trials.
• Almost all are VC funded – currently well funded.
Utilities
• Some utilities have strong financial stake in the BPL vendors.

application
Challenges for BPL
• Economic model is still somewhat unproven.
– Current capex numbers for BPL infrastructure are
$150 per home passed on an average. Some utilities
may consider this high and not be willing to spend this
money.
– The issue of BPL being a part of regulated side or
business or the non regulated side is very complex.
Needs regulatory assurances.
• Technology will need more testing.
– Testing for manufacturability, reliability
• Business models are complex. The low risk models can
contain regulatory risks.
• The technology is not future proof. This is a deterrent to
utilities.

application
Challenges for BPL
• Radio interference, if large scale, may shut off the
technology very quickly.
• Utility applications hold lot of promise- but most experts
agree that utility applications should not be the basis of a
successful business model – broadband internet access
should be the basis.
• Consumer premise equipment is still not cheap. It is
unknown if these equipments will follow the price
roadmap of other competing wireless broadband
technologies.
• Other competing wireless broadband technologies have
great promise and big backers.
– Wimax ( Supported by Intel, IBM )

application
Regulatory Issues
• Regulators want to treat this business as just another
Telecom business ( same taxes etc.)
– This will seriously hurt the business case.
• VOIP is one of the many bones of contention.
– Should BPL guarantee a 911 call?
– Common Carrier issues.
– Does utility want to go in that debate?
• If utility benefits are to be accrued, then regulators want
to make sure that none of the rate cases include this
investment.
• Use of poles – other broadband users want the BPL
model to pay the same rent as they do for hanging BPL
stuff on poles ( around transformers).

application
BPL & AMR
• Technically feasible.
• Several ways of achieving it…
– IP addressable meter
• Sensus Icon with mu net
• Comverge
• Others
– BPL modem equipped meter
– BPL as a backhaul
• Currently only Electric AMR being talked about.
• All consultants state that AMR on BPL is not a low
hanging fruit.
– Outage Management is considered a low hanging
fruit.

application
BPL & AMR: Scenario 1
There are three ways Meter can be coupled with BPL for
AMR purposes.
BPL Modem in
Consumer
Premises
IP Network Address
Translator (NAT)
IP Addressable
Electric Meter

application
Scenario 1 : Option 1
The customer subscribes to Utilities BPL service. Utility
provides an IP addressable electric meter and a NAT.
Price to utility
– $______ for an IP addressable solid state meter + BPL Modem & NAT
– Overall capex per customer:
$150 + $______ = $??? per customer
Assumptions:
– 100% customers will choose to take the utility’s BPL offering
– If not, add another $100 for a BPL modem
Other issues include
– Nobody today has a reliable , ANSI approved $_____ meter with IP addressable
capability.
– BPL modems are typically indoor devices. They have not been ruggedized to
work for long times.
– Possible wiring needs from the meter to NAT.
– This will assume that utility goes all out to deploy BPL in all its territory.
– Rural customers, meters in the middle of nowhere will need some technology
support.
– Cost of per home passed is very high for long feeders.
– Issues of repeater maintenance.
– For the meter to be addressed two way, utility may need a fixed IP address.
There are higher costs associated with it.

application
Scenario 1: Option 2
Utility chooses to install a BPL modem for AMR
purposes alone (assuming the customer does not
subscribe to utility’s BPL service) and an IP addressable
meter.
• Add another ~$100 for a BPL modem to the cost, so the
total capex of AMR per Electric meter…. >$250

application
Scenario 1: Option 3
Utility may choose a Wi-Fi based BPL and installs a Wi-Fi
Based Electric Meter.
• No Wi Fi enabled electric meter available.
• Cost!
• Have been some talk about the chances of developing a
meter with a Wi-Fi capability.

application
BPL & AMR: Scenario 2
Solid State Electric meter with an internal BPL modem.
• Current estimates for cost of such a meter -- ???
• Capex cost of BPL per home passed remains ($150 per
home passed).

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BPL and AMR: Scenario 3
Use BPL as a backhaul option for the CCU in a fixed
network environment.
Trials are on :
– City of Bowling Green (with Amperion)
– ConEd (possibly)
The advantages include:
– Solution for Gas, Electric and water utilities.
– No need to develop new endpoints.

application
Pros and Cons of BPL
Pros
– Provides new revenue source.
– Utilizes utility core assets.
– Provides AMR, power quality and other AMR-related
services.
– BPL has worked on small scales and even utilities
who have tested it say they’re confident it will work in
large rollouts.
Cons
– Not a core service
– Technology not quite proven in a large roll-out.
– High cost.
– Competitive environment that includes corporate
giants such as AT&T.

application
Conclusion
• BPL will be a niche Broadband Access technology – most
probably in the semi-urban towns.
• The technology is under close market scrutiny for its
ability to support a successful business model.
• Some utilities may delay their AMR decision with a hope
of using BPL one day.
• You need to keep our ear on the ground for meter
manufacturers planning to offer BPL enabled solutions.
“ BPL has the potential to become the most
ubiquitous broadband network available. ”
Michael Powell, FCC Chairman

Information collection, analysis and application
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