May 30, 2009 by kb3ljm.

Earlier this month, the FCC released the redacted portions of the studies on which they relied with regard to its Broadband over Powerline (BPL) rulemaking in 2004 after ARRL filed a Freedom of Information Act request on March 31 for the studies. In October 2007, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit heard ARRL’s case against the Commission, stating, among other things, that the FCC not only withheld the internal studies until it was too late to comment, but had yet to release portions of studies that may not support its own conclusions regarding BPL. The FCC claimed that the studies were “internal communications” that it did not rely upon in reaching its decision to adopt the BPL rules. In its April 2008 ruling, the Court ordered the FCC to release the studies.

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/05/08/10811/

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May 21, 2008 by kb3ljm.

The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit today released its decision on the ARRL’s Petition for Review of the FCC’s Orders adopting rules governing broadband over power line (BPL) systems. The Court agreed with the ARRL on two major points and remanded the rules to the Commission. Writing for the three-judge panel of Circuit Judges Rogers, Tatel and Kavanaugh, Judge Rogers summarized: “The Commission failed to satisfy the notice and comment requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act (’APA’) by redacting studies on which it relied in promulgating the rule and failed to provide a reasoned explanation for its choice of the extrapolation factor for measuring Access BPL emissions.”

Full Story: http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/04/25/10064/?nc=1

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May 8, 2008 by kb3ljm.

The Dallas Morning News has reported that “an ambitious plan for using power lines to deliver fast Internet service to 2 million Dallas-area homes collapsed Thursday.” Current Group, LLC has announced plans to sell its Dallas BPL network to Oncor, a regulated electric distribution and transmission business, for $90 million. Oncor reportedly has no plans to offer Internet service but will use the network to detect distribution network issues. While Current originally touted the network as a way to offer Internet service to consumers and had entered into a marketing arrangement with DirecTV, the Houston Chronicle quotes Oncor spokesman Chris Schein as confirming that Oncor will use the network only for monitoring the power grid: “Our business is delivering electricity, not being an Internet provider or a television provider.”

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/05/02/10078/?nc=1

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November 15, 2007 by kb3ljm.

The FCC, in a letter to Yehuda Cern, Chief Engineer for Ambient Corporation, concluded their investigation into whether Ambient’s BPL operation caused “harmful interference” to Amateur Radio stations in Briarcliff Manor, New York. The Commission found that “Ambient’s BPL operation has violated the radiated emission limits of Section 15.109″ of the FCC Rules “and the terms of its experimental license, call sign WD2XEQ.” The FCC’s letter went on to say that “we hereby admonish Ambient.” No findings were made, however, as to whether or not the system actually caused interference to Amateur Radio, and the Enforcement Bureau left open the issue of future experimental BPL operations at Briarcliff Manor.

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2007/11/14/100/

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September 11, 2007 by kb3ljm.

NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organization) has issued a report of the expected effects that widespread BPL application would have on the HF spectrum. Particular emphasis is placed on ambient noise in “quite rural” zones and the “Absolute Protection Requirement”. The calculations assume ubiquitous installation of BPL. The report concludes: a) High probability that BPL would cause increased noise levels at sensitive receiver sites given the projected market penetration; and b) The percentages are highly influenced by assumptions on transmitter EIRP, BPL market penetration, and duty cycle.” The entire report (9MB) can be downloaded at: http://ftp.rta.nato.int/public//PubFullText/RTO/TR/RTO-TR-IST-050/$$TR-IST-050-ALL.pdf [WIA]

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August 21, 2007 by kb3ljm.

According to the August 15 edition of The Wall Street Journal, “Satellite-television provider DirecTV announced a wholesale agreement today with Current Group to provide high-speed Internet service over electric-power lines,” otherwise known as broadband over powerlines (BPL). “Broadband over power line is a new technology that allows customers to plug a modem device the size of a cell phone into an electric outlet and connect a cable from their computer for Internet access that is capable of speeds that are faster than some popular Internet plans from cable and phone companies. Current is building out broadband networks in Cincinnati and Dallas-Fort Worth and is in talks with a number of utilities around the world about a commercial rollout,” the Journal said.
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2007/08/16/102/?nc=1

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August 3, 2007 by kb3ljm.

On July 25, the ARRL filed an Informal Objection to Ambient Corporation’s request for a renewal of their nationwide experimental authorization that allows them to operate broadband over power line (BPL) operations anywhere in the country they choose. Ambient has been operating its BPL equipment under experimental authorizations for more than five years, an unusual amount of time for an experimental authorization. An Informal Objection is the procedure dictated by the FCC’s Part 5 rules protesting the renewal of an experimental authorization. Currently, Ambient currently operates a BPL system in Briarcliff Manor in Westchester County, New York. Other installations have apparently been shut down by Ambient.

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2007/08/02/101/?nc=1

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August 3, 2007 by kb3ljm.

On July 31, the ARRL filed its reply brief at the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. This brief follows the FCC’s brief that attempted to rebut the ARRL’s challenge to the FCC’s Broadband over Power Line (BPL) rules enacted in late 2004 and affirmed by the agency in 2006. According to ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, “The FCC’s brief does not accurately describe ARRL’s arguments concerning harmful interference.” The ARRL, in its reply brief, accuses the FCC of, “engaging in misdirection — rebutting hyperbolic arguments ARRL never made, refusing to address the precedents ARRL cited and attempting to rewrite the Orders as if they made factual rather than legal determinations.”

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2007/08/02/102/?nc=1

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July 27, 2007 by kb3ljm.

On July 24, FCC Commissioner Jonathan S. Adelstein testified at a House Subcommittee on Telecommuni- cations and the Internet hearing that “three of the many urgent priorities we face” include the need for “a national broadband strategy to ensure the ubiquitous deployment of affordable, high speed broadband infrastructure to this country.” FCC Chairman Kevin Martin and Commissioners Tate, McDowell and Copps testified as well at the “Oversight of the Federal Communications Commission” hearing.

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2007/07/26/100/?nc=1

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July 9, 2007 by kb3ljm.

Earlier this week, the FCC filed its reply brief with the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The FCC attempted to rebut the ARRL’s challenge to the FCC’s Broadband over Power Line (BPL) rules enacted in late 2004 and affirmed by the agency in 2006. According to ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, “The FCC’s brief does not accurately describe ARRL’s arguments concerning harmful interference.”

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2007/07/06/104/?nc=1

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