Great news for all you guys stuck out there in BFE with no access to broadband.... (Yes, it's true, these places actually exist.)


http://www.broadbandreports.com/shownews/37198


Broadband-via power-line in Manassas
Written by Karl Bode
The nation's first non-trial broadband via power-line city is set to go live next week. Residents of Manassas, Virginia will see speeds between 560 and 840kbps for $27.00 a month - via their electrical outlets. The BPL (broadband via power-line) connectivity is provided by a company called Prospect Street broadband, who just recently completed the first phase of their BPL deployment, reports local news sources. The system will cost the region between $250,000 and $350,000 to implement.

Amateur radio has of course made their concerns heard. In a letter faxed to Manassas Mayor Marvin L. Gillum, ARRL CEO David Sumner warns: "Your advisors no doubt have made the Council fully aware of the great potential for radio interference from such a system." "Tests conducted by ARRL technical personnel have shown that the system planned to be deployed in Manassas causes harmful interference to the Amateur Radio service."

Opponents to such systems argue that broadband over power-line sends wideband radio signals over poorly shielded wires not particularly designed with high-speed internet in mind. The result is that these 2 to 80 MHz signals are broadcast into neighborhoods as if from antennas from every participating power-line, interfering with radio communications (be it amateur or emergency) and polluting HF bands.

The resulting noise, occasionally 10,000 times higher than acceptable levels in some world-wide trials, has in some cases been enough to disable 20-meter monobanders on high-rise buildings, or - in one case in Austria - disable Red Cross communications during an emergency disaster response drill. While there are plenty of trials ongoing in the U.S., Manassas is the first to deploy a city-wide BPL system.

It's estimated that the city of Manassas could bring in $4.5 million over the life of the 10-year contract with Prospect Street Broadband, so the shift toward BPL hasn't seen many delays, interference or not. The remainder of the city is expected to be completely wired with the service within three to four months, according to local officials. Area leaders were quick to vote on city-wide deployment after participants in a local trial were enthusiastic about the system's performance.

The system is utilizing technology from Main.net, a BPL provider that offers related utility connectivity to 40 power utilities in more than 20 countries. There are BPL alternatives whose emissions occur within the unlicensed 5 GHz ISM band (these systems utilize wireless for the last mile), and are less likely to cause interference; one such deployment, which also offers better speeds, is being tested by California Pacific Gas and Electric and Corridor Systems.

According to local officials, roughly four-hundred users have signed up for the service before Prospect Street Broadband even began advertising connectivity. The company indicates it should be able to obtain profitability if ten percent of eligible households sign up for service. Business tiers with speeds up to 1.5mbps are also available.


Sounds good, cheaper than cable or DSL, and reasonable down speeds for the price. Still beats the crap outta 56K, I don't care where you dial in from. Lets hear it for these guys. I hope it works out well for them and the technology really takes off in this area.

Cool, let us know if it is a hair raising online experience.