In a new report, ABI Research acknowledges that Broadband over Power Line (BPL) "does offer benefits to utilities, including more efficient use of the electrical grid and better telemetry for tracking faults and failures," according to Vamsi Sistla, ABI's director of broadband research.
The report, called "The Future of HomePlug/In-house PLC and Access BPL," examines market viability for these technologies.
BPL is an appealing idea to electrical utilities, as it offers the possibility of new revenue streams. And BPL also appeals to government regulators, who put BPL forward (along with WiMAX) as potential competion to cable and telco broadband services. (See my previous entry about the recent rollout of a city-wide BPL installation in Manassas, Va.)
But ABI's Sistla sees challenges for BPL in markets where infrastructure is already well-developed, citing competion from incumbent DSL and cable providers, as well as bandwidth issues and objections over radio interference. Quoted in today's announcement, Sistla says, "The best opportunities for BPL will be in regions with poor telecom infrastructure, where cable is too expensive and modest access speeds will suffice. Eastern Europe, China and India are good examples."
AB -- 10/18/05
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