Transcript Slide 1

Bruce Franca
Deputy Chief
• Evolution of Communication Technologies over
Power lines
• Benefits of Access BPL and Access BPL Rulemaking
• What are FCC requirements for Access BPL?
• Transition
• The Future of BPL
• Other Issues / Next Steps
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Carrier current systems have been around for many
years
Some examples:
Campus radio systems
Lamp/thermostat controllers
Until recently, general characteristics of carrier current
systems were:
Low frequency
Low speed
Narrow frequency/spectrum bands
Used inside buildings/controlled environments (campus)
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 NEW Broadband over Power Lines (BPL) operations
are different
 Advanced digital processing and modulation techniques
 Multiple carriers
 Wide spectrum bandwidths (e.g., 2-80 MHz)
 Two General Applications:
 Access systems – Internet/broadband to neighborhood
using medium voltage lines
 In-Home or in-building operations (HomePlug)
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In-Home Computer Networking, Or
Link Between Access BPL & Home
“Low Voltage” (120/240 VAC)
Broadband Internet Service
“Medium Voltage” (e.g. 10kV)
Access BPL connects to
computers in the home by
in-house BPL or by WiFi (wireless)
High Voltage
Medium Voltage
~ 1kVolts to 40 kVolts
~ MVolts
Coupler
Power
Generation
Plant
Low Voltage
Substation
Backhaul
Point
(Gateway)
Internet
BPL signals are extracted here
& converted into/from traditional
communication packets for
appropriate communication direction
Aggregation
Point
~ 120/240 Volts
Coupler
LV
Distribution
Transformer
In some Access
implementations,
these physical links
are replaced by
wireless links
Power Line
Interface
Device
Located In
Home
ACCESS BPL
 “Last Mile” solution: potential 3rd Pipe (+ DSL & Cable) to bring
broadband services to the home
Internet and high speed broadband access to wider areas of the
country
Promote redundancy of communications systems
Improve utilities’ management of electric grid:
remote power outage notification, security monitoring, traffic
control, remote meter reading, instant Wi-Fi Hot Spot
installation
Enhance national security of energy distribution systems
Foster development of smart appliances and resource sharing
(home networking)
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 Notice of Inquiry – April 2003
 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) – February
2004

 Adopted October 14, 2004, released October 28, 2004
 ET Docket 04-37, FCC 04-245
 http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC04-245A1.doc
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Remove regulatory uncertainty to encourage
investments in BPL
Promote development of Access BPL
technology to allow consumers to reap its
benefits
Ensure protection of licensed radio services
Ensure that compliance measurements are made
in a consistent manner with repeatable results
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 Access BPL remains under Part 15
unlicensed device rules (new Subpart G)
No change in existing Part 15 emission levels (low
power unlicensed operation)
Access BPL operations cannot cause harmful
interference and must accept any interference (47
C.F.R §15.5)
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Access BPL must include adaptive
interference mitigation capabilities to avoid
local and site-specific interference, e.g.
Exclude or “notch” any specific frequency or band
Remotely shut off any BPL device
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BPL cannot operate on certain “excluded
frequency bands”
Specifically, the following 12 Aeronautical (R) frequencies
(communications restricted to safety and regularity of flight):
2850-3025 kHz
3400-3500 kHz
4650-4700 kHz
5450-5680 kHz
6525-6685 kHz
8815-8965 kHz
10005-10100 kHz
11275-11400 kHz
13260-13360 kHz
17900-17970 kHz
21924-22000 kHz
74.8-75.2 MHz
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Establishes “exclusion zones” within which
Access BPL must avoid operating on certain
frequencies
Access BPL must avoid using 2182 kHz (2173.5- 2190.5 kHz) within
1 km of a U.S. Coast Guard or maritime public coast station
Access BPL using overhead power lines must avoid using 73-74.6
MHz within 29 km of ten radio astronomy sites (Very Long Baseline
Array facilities)
Access BPL using underground power lines or overhead low voltage
power lines must avoid using 73-74.6 MHz within 11 km of these ten
radio astronomy sites
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Establishes “consultation requirements” for
BPL with public safety, and certain sensitive
federal and aeronautical stations
Establishes a “good faith” process to ensure
that
Access BPL systems do not cause interference;
and
Any restrictions by licensees on BPL are only those
necessary to avoid interference
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Requires industry to establish a publicly
accessible database for Access BPL systems
containing:
Access BPL Provider Name
Access BPL deployment by zip code
Frequency bands of operation
Type of equipment (FCC ID)
Contact Information (phone number and email
address) to facilitate interference resolution
Proposed or Actual date of Access BPL operation
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The industry will select the database
administrator and must inform the Commission
within 180 days of publication of Report and
Order in the Federal Register
The Commission will issue a Public Notice
announcing the identity of the database
administrator
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Changes equipment authorization
requirements for Access BPL devices from
Verification to FCC Certification, to be carried
out by the BPL manufacturer
Certification is an equipment authorization issued by
the FCC and requires manufacturers to submit testing
and measurement data to the FCC
Under Verification, the manufacturer determines the
equipment is compliant and no data is submitted to the
FCC unless requested
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Test and
Evaluate
Product to
Determine
Compliance
Prepare Test
Report and
Application
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Submit
Application
to TCB –
new
technology,
not
permitted
Submit
Application
to FCC
F
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G
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A
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Product
Market
Product
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Provides new measurement procedures and
guidelines to ensure that testing of Access
BPL and other carrier current devices is
performed in a more consistent and
repeatable manner
Recommends that BPL operators perform
testing during initial installation and
periodically to ensure compliance
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 Protection of Licensed Radio Services is provided by:
the emissions limits for Access BPL systems (low Part 15 levels)
the provisions for consultation areas, excluded bands, and exclusion
zones; and
the requirement that Access BPL systems not cause interference.
 The mitigation requirements are intended to ensure that
Access BPL systems are designed with features that
support interference mitigation
during initial installation, if sensitive local communications systems are
identified in advance; and
after installation, the newly required operational capabilities will allow
Access BPL system operators to expeditiously resolve any instances of
interference that may occur, without the need to cease operations and
thereby disrupt the broadband data services they provide to their
subscribers.
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Parties who believe they are experiencing
interference from an unlicensed device are first
expected to bring the matter to the attention of the
operator of the unlicensed device.
If that action does not resolve the interference, the
party may then seek intervention by the
Commission.
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 In the event a BPL interference complaint is filed by a licensee with the
Commission, the Commission will contact the complainant and/or the BPL
provider to determine if they have first attempted to resolve the interference
complaint among themselves.
 If they have not made such an attempt, the complaint will be forwarded to
the BPL provider for action and the complainant notified that they will be
contacted by the BPL provider concerning their interference complaint.
 The Commission may periodically monitor the resolution process to ensure
that the parties are working in good faith and making appropriate progress
in resolving the interference complaint.
 If the parties have attempted to address the complaint but the matter
remains unresolved, the Commission, through its Enforcement Bureau with
assistance from the Office of Engineering and Technology, will review the
complaint and take appropriate action.
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Rules Effective 30 days from publication of
BPL Report and Order in Federal Register
for all new BPL equipment
Transition time
18 months from publication of BPL Report and
Order in Federal Register for BPL equipment
already installed, manufactured or imported
before the above deadline
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 The FCC has adopted minimal technical and administrative
rules intended to create a positive growth environment for
BPL and to facilitate investments in this technology
 The concerns with BPL potential interference issues are
addressed by adopting the necessary restrictions on BPL
operations to protect licensed radio services
 The adoption of a reasonable mechanism for interference
resolution allows BPL operators to continue to provide
uninterrupted service to their subscribers while addressing
interference complaints
 The future of BPL will depend on BPL investments and
innovative business plans
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ARRL FOIA request of test results
Some Outstanding Interference Complaints
Potential Petitions for Reconsideration
Helping Local Government on BPL Regulatory
Issues
 NARUC
 SEARUC
Continuing to work with NTIA and FERC
Cooperating with our neighbors on BPL (Canada)
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