Transcript Slide 1

FCC Update
on
Broadband Over Power Lines
Bruce Franca
Deputy Chief
Office of Engineering and Technology
Federal Communications Commission
May 25, 2005
Support for BPL
President Bush: (supports “technical
standards to make possible new broadband
technologies, such as the use of high speed
communications directly over power lines.”)
FERC Chairman Wood: (in joint statement
with FCC Chairman Powell -- urge “utilities to
pursue new and developing technologies that
foster broadband; provide more efficient power
management and ensure increased reliability.”)
Asst. Sec. Gallagher: (“responsible technical
rules that fully address the potential for harmful
interference to vital radio systems”)
Benefits of BPL
“Last Mile” solution: potential 3rd Pipe (+ DSL &
Cable) to bring broadband services to the home
Promote redundancy of communications
systems
Improve utilities’ management of electric grid:
remote power outage notification, load
management, traffic control, remote meter
reading
Enhance national security of energy distribution
systems
Further FCC’s Broadband objectives
Two Types of BPL
IN-HOUSE BPL
In-Home Computer Networking, Or Link
Between Access BPL & Home
“Low Voltage” (120/240 VAC)
ACCESS BPL
Broadband Internet Service
“Medium Voltage” (e.g. 10kV) &
“Low Voltage” Power Grid
Access BPL connects to
computers in the home by
in-house BPL or by WiFi (wireless)
New Rules for Access BPL
Recognize BPL Interference Potential
RF signals carried on long overhead wires
Need to protect licensed operations
Need for New Requirements to
Manage Interference Potential
Ensure that BPL systems have the
capability to avoid causing interference
Ensure that BPL systems can correct any
interference without ceasing broadband
service to the public
New Rules for Access BPL
Solution
Low (Part 15) power levels
Capability to avoid local co-channel
operations
Geographic separation
Registration/Notification program
Access BPL Rules (1)
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)
Part 15 devices at the Franca’s
2 Baby Monitors
4 Cordless phones
2 Garage Door openers with 4
remotes
4 Car Keyless entry systems
2 Laptops + 2 PCs
2 WiFi devices
2 Ipods and MP-3 players
4 TVs (I HDTV)
5 AM/FM radios
1 RF remote
2 Set-top boxes
2 RC Toys
CEA estimates more than 348 million
Part 15 consumer devices in US.
About 40 at the Franca’s.
Access BPL Rules (2)
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
Access BPL Rules (3)
Access 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
Access BPL Rules (4)
Establish “exclusion zones” within which
Access BPL must avoid operating on certain
frequencies
Access BPL must avoid using 2182 kHz (2173.52190.5 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
Access BPL Rules (5)
Establish “consultation requirements” for
BPL with public safety, and certain
sensitive federal and aeronautical
stations
Establish a “good faith” interference
resolution 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
Access BPL Rules (6)
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
Access BPL Rules (7)
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
Access BPL Rules (8)
Provide 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
Recommend that BPL operators perform
testing during initial installation and
periodically to ensure compliance
Next Steps
Resolve Few Outstanding Interference
Complaints
Address Petitions for Reconsideration
Continue work with NTIA and FERC
Access BPL Rulemaking Info
Adopted October 14, 2004, released October 28,
2004
Published in Federal Register January 7, 2005
ET Docket 04-37, FCC 04-245
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/
FCC-04-245A1.doc
[email protected]