CABLE COMPANY's V/S POWER COMPANY's

cjq · 06-13-2007, 06:27 AM

Don't know if this is the correct place to post but a thought occured to me after reading about State Controled cable company competition. Is there any known research being done to determine if power company's can include a television signal in the electrical power lines supplying my home. A short time ago my power provider changed my electric meter and replaced it with a meter that containes a signal device that reads my consumption. This device eliminates a meter reader and sends the information via there power wires. If this technology is possible than perhaps a Power company could possibly get into the Data/ TV business. Any thoughts??

CJQ

bicker · 06-13-2007, 06:31 AM

Boston Electric had planned to do so a few years ago, so I suppose it is feasible. Evidently, though, there were reasons why it wasn't a viable product -- perhaps insufficient bandwidth available, given the push towards HD.

paulc · 06-13-2007, 07:25 AM

Interesting question... makes me think back to the mid nineties, long before anyone heard of "broadband internet." When a fully provisioned T-1 line (1.5 Mb/s compared to today's 5 to 10Mb/s access) was the rage but cost north of 1400 buck's/month. A rural utility company in Tenn I think who had set up an infrastructure to remotely read meters began offering T-1 type speeds for 10 bucks/month. A bunch of my colleagues and I used to talk about all moving there... but remember, this was a time when there were 3 or 4 new web sites each week, when a list of all websites was in the hundreds (excluding educational institutions).

MilesAhead · 06-13-2007, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bicker

Boston Electric had planned to do so a few years ago, so I suppose it is feasible. Evidently, though, there were reasons why it wasn't a viable product -- perhaps insufficient bandwidth available, given the push towards HD.

On HowStuffWorks it gives an overview of some of the
home networking products that use the "wires in the walls"
to make a Lan from the power lines in your house. From
what it says it seems the bandwidth is only about 14 Mbps.

Granted the big power lines on poles may be able to carry
more data but I suspect it's very limited else they'd be
makin' money off it by now.

oblioman · 06-14-2007, 04:34 AM

This has been researched for some time and it is feasible.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,11...1/article.html
BPL has the potential to knock the cableco's and sat's back a few notches. The line noise associated with power lines is the problem the techs have yet to figure out. When viable filters are developed, BPL, in my opine, will take off like a rocket.

Freak · 06-14-2007, 06:57 AM

BPL test are being performed at the consumer level across the country. Direct TV began a partner test last month. In addition, TXU in Dallas is currently testing a large scale test if I understand correctly. The technology is not comparable to the speeds seen with cable, but for people in rural areas, it might be their only option other than fixed wireless.

Lee Stewart · 06-14-2007, 10:44 AM

I can see it now . . .

Joe Public fooling around with connections that carry 120V and 15 Amps.

There is a recipe for disaster.

06-13-2007, 06:27 AM	#1
cjq High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 30	CABLE COMPANY's V/S POWER COMPANY's Don't know if this is the correct place to post but a thought occured to me after reading about State Controled cable company competition. Is there any known research being done to determine if power company's can include a television signal in the electrical power lines supplying my home. A short time ago my power provider changed my electric meter and replaced it with a meter that containes a signal device that reads my consumption. This device eliminates a meter reader and sends the information via there power wires. If this technology is possible than perhaps a Power company could possibly get into the Data/ TV business. Any thoughts?? CJQ

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06-13-2007, 06:31 AM	#2
bicker High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Burlington, MA Posts: 1,535	Boston Electric had planned to do so a few years ago, so I suppose it is feasible. Evidently, though, there were reasons why it wasn't a viable product -- perhaps insufficient bandwidth available, given the push towards HD.

06-13-2007, 07:25 AM	#3
paulc Very Grizzled Vet of 1 yr Join Date: May 2006 Location: New York City Posts: 1,764	Interesting question... makes me think back to the mid nineties, long before anyone heard of "broadband internet." When a fully provisioned T-1 line (1.5 Mb/s compared to today's 5 to 10Mb/s access) was the rage but cost north of 1400 buck's/month. A rural utility company in Tenn I think who had set up an infrastructure to remotely read meters began offering T-1 type speeds for 10 bucks/month. A bunch of my colleagues and I used to talk about all moving there... but remember, this was a time when there were 3 or 4 new web sites each week, when a list of all websites was in the hundreds (excluding educational institutions).

06-14-2007, 04:34 AM	#5
oblioman Possum Tipper at large. Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Someville TN Posts: 5,607	This has been researched for some time and it is feasible. http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,11...1/article.html BPL has the potential to knock the cableco's and sat's back a few notches. The line noise associated with power lines is the problem the techs have yet to figure out. When viable filters are developed, BPL, in my opine, will take off like a rocket.

06-14-2007, 06:57 AM	#6
Freak High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 102	BPL test are being performed at the consumer level across the country. Direct TV began a partner test last month. In addition, TXU in Dallas is currently testing a large scale test if I understand correctly. The technology is not comparable to the speeds seen with cable, but for people in rural areas, it might be their only option other than fixed wireless.

06-14-2007, 10:44 AM	#7
Lee Stewart Behold - the future! Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Albuquerque, NM Age: 58 Posts: 26,389	I can see it now . . . Joe Public fooling around with connections that carry 120V and 15 Amps. There is a recipe for disaster.