BROADBAND OVER POWER LINES:

AUTHOR: MAHARUDRAPPA.M.ATTIGERI, & MAYUR.R.KOTARI, 2ND SEM, SKSVMACET, LAXMESHWAR.

ABSTRACT In rural areas and remote areas the expenditure for new projects related to broadband communications is deterred. In this paper hybrid Wireless-Broadband over Power Lines (W-BPL) technology, suitable for rural and remote areas is presented. This hybrid approach employs BPL technology for the transmission of communication signals via the medium voltage (MV) grid and wireless technology for providing broadband access to end users. The advantages and opportunities of this hybrid solution are presented through the deployment of a trial hybrid W-BPL network in Larissa, a rural area in central Greece. This network offers broadband access and smart grid applications along a 70 km MV power grid. The supported services along with network performance issues are discussed.

What is Broadband?
The term broadband commonly refers to high-speed Internet access. The FCC defines broadband service as data transmission speeds exceeding 200 kilobits per second (Kbps), or 200,000 bits per second, in at least one direction: downstream (from the Internet to the users computer) or upstream (from the users computer to the Internet). HOW IS BROADBAND DIFFERENT FROM DIAL-UP SERVICE? Broadband service provides higher speed of data transmission Allows more content to be carried through the transmission pipeline. Broadband provides access to the highest quality Internet services streaming media, VoIP (Internet phone), gaming, and interactive services. Many of these current and newly developing services require the transfer of large amounts of data which may not be technically feasible with dial-up service.

Therefore, broadband service may be increasingly necessary to access the full range of services and opportunities that the Internet can offer. Broadband is always onDoes not block phone lines and no need to reconnect to network after logging off. Less delay in transmission of content when using broadband. WHY IS BROADBAND IMPORTANT? Broadband can provide you with the technical capability to access a wide range of resources, services, and products that can enhance your life in a variety of ways. These resources, services, and products include, but are not limited to: Education, Culture, & Entertainment Broadband can overcome geographical and financial barriers to provide access to a wide range of educational, cultural, and recreational opportunities and resources. Tele health & Telemedicine Broadband can facilitate provision of medical care to un served and underserved populations through remote diagnosis, treatment, monitoring, and consultations with specialists. Economic Development/ECommerce Broadband can promote economic development and revitalization through electronic commerce (ecommerce) by: Creating new jobs and attracting new industries. Providing access to regional, national, and worldwide markets. Electronic Government (EGovernment) Electronic government can help streamline peoples interaction with government agencies, and provide information about government policies, procedures,

benefits, and programs. Public Safety and Homeland Security Broadband can help protect the public by facilitating and promoting public safety information and procedures, including, but not limited to: Early warning/public alert systems and disaster preparation programs. Remote security monitoring and real time security background checks. Backup systems for public safety communications networks. Broadband Communications Services Broadband provides access to new telecommunications technologies such as Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) allowing voice communication using the Internet. Communications Services for People With Disabilities Broadband permits users of Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) to use Video Relay Services (VRS) to communicate more easily, quickly, and expressively with voice telephone users. TYPES OF BROADBAND CONNECTIONS Broadband includes several highspeed transmission technologies such as: Digital subscriber lines (DSL) Cable modem Fiber Wireless Satellite Broadband over Power lines (BPL) The broadband technology you choose will depend on a number of factors. These may include whether you are located in an urban or rural area, how broadband Internet access is packaged with other services (like voice telephone and home entertainment), price, and availability.

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) DSL is a wire line transmission technology that transmits data faster over traditional copper telephone lines already installed to homes and businesses. DSL-based broadband provides transmission speeds ranging from several hundred Kbps to millions of bits per second (Mbps). The availability and speed of your DSL service may depend on the distance from your home or business to the closest telephone company facility. The following are types of DSL transmission technologies: Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) used primarily by residential customers, such as Internet surfers, who receive a lot of data but do not send much. ADSL typically provides faster speed in the downstream direction than the upstream direction. ADSL allows faster downstream data transmission over the same line used to provide voice service, without disrupting regular telephone calls on that line. Symmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (SDSL) used typically by businesses for services such as video conferencing, which need significant bandwidth both upstream and downstream. Faster forms of DSL typically available to businesses include: High-data-rate Digital Subscriber Line (HDSL); and Very High-data-rate Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL). Cable Modem Cable modem service enables cable operators to provide broadband using the same coaxial cables that deliver pictures and sound to your TV set. Most cable modems are external devices that have two connections, one to the cable wall outlet and the other to a computer. They provide transmission speeds of 1.5 Mbps or

more. Subscribers can access their cable modem service simply by turning on their computers without dialingup an ISP. You can still watch cable TV while using it. Transmission speeds vary depending on the type of cable modem, cable network, and traffic load. Speeds are comparable to DSL. Fiber Fiber, or fiber optic, is a newer technology available for providing broadband. Fiber optic technology converts electrical signals carrying data to light and sends the light through transparent glass fibers about the diameter of a human hair. Fiber transmits data at speeds far exceeding current DSL or cable modem speeds, typically by tens or even hundreds of Mbps. The actual speed you experience will vary depending upon a variety of factors, such as how close to your computer the service provider brings the fiber, and how the service provider configures the service, including the amount of bandwidth used. The same fiber providing your broadband can also simultaneously deliver voice (VoIP) and video services, including video-on-demand. Telecommunications providers (mostly telephone companies) are offering fiber broadband in limited areas and have announced plans to expand their fiber networks and offer bundled voice, Internet access, and video services. Variations of the technology run the fiber all the way to the customers home or business, to the curb outside, or to a location somewhere between the providers facilities and the customer. Wireless Wireless broadband connects a home or business to the Internet using a radio link between the

customers location and the service providers facility. Wireless broadband can be mobile or fixed. Wireless technologies using longer range directional equipment provide broadband service in remote or sparsely populated areas where DSL or cable modem service would be costly to provide. Speeds are generally comparable to DSL and cable modem. An external antenna is usually required. Fixed wireless broadband service is becoming more and more widely available at airports, city parks, bookstores, and other public locations called hotspots. Hotspots generally use a shortrange technology that provides speeds up to 54 Mbps. Wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) technology is also often used in conjunction with DSL or cable modem service to connect devices within a home or business to the Internet via a broadband connection. Mobile wireless broadband services are also becoming available from mobile telephone service providers and others. These services are generally appropriate for highly-mobile customers and require a special PC card with a built in antenna that plugs into a users laptop computer. Generally, they provide lower speeds, in the range of several hundred Kbps. Satellite Just as satellites orbiting the earth provide necessary links for telephone and television service, they can also provide links for broadband. Satellite broadband is another form of wireless broadband, also useful for serving remote or sparsely populated areas. Downstream and upstream speeds for satellite broadband depend on several factors, including the provider and service package purchased, the consumers line of

sight to the orbiting satellite, and the weather. Typically a consumer can expect to receive (download) at a speed of about 500 Kbps and send (upload) at a speed of about 80 Kbps. These speeds may be slower than DSL and cable modem, but download speed is about 10 times faster than download speed with dial-up Internet access. Service can be disrupted in extreme weather conditions. Broadband over Power line (BPL) BPL is the delivery of broadband over the existing low and medium voltage electric power distribution network. BPL speeds are comparable to DSL and cable modem speeds. BPL can be provided to homes using existing electrical connections and outlets. BPL is an emerging technology, currently available in very limited areas. It has significant potential because power lines are installed virtually everywhere, alleviating the need to build new broadband facilities to every customer. BROADBAND IN RURAL AREAS Because of relatively low population density, topographical barriers, and greater geographical distances, broadband service may be more difficult to obtain in some rural areas. In attempting to address these challenges, some rural communities have found it helpful to develop a strategic plan for broadband deployment that includes creating a comprehensive business proposal to broadband providers. Such a plan, for example, could demonstrate to broadband providers that deployment is a sound business decision that would benefit both the providers and the community. This strategic planning process may include, but is not limited to,

the following elements and strategies: Educating the community about the potential benefits of broadband service. Creating partnerships among community organizations and institutions that might benefit from broadband deployment. Systematic assessment and prioritization of the communitys needs for broadband service. Aggregating (consolidating) demand within the community to make service profitable for broadband providers. Participants may include, but are not limited to, individual consumers, businesses, educational institutions, health care facilities, and government agencies. Identifying an anchor tenant with adequate demand to spur infrastructure investment in broadband.

companies to electronically monitor power systems. By providing high-speed data transmission between all of the electrical plugs in a house, there is the potential to network all kinds of common appliances in a household. If your alarm clock, light switch and coffee maker could talk each other via a high-speed connection, mornings might look a lot different. In the next sections, we'll learn about the technology behind both In-House and Access BPL.

The Old Way Power to the People

Like phone companies, power companies also have lines strung all over the world. The difference is that they have power lines in a lot more places than phone companies have fiber optics. This makes power lines an obvious vehicle for providing Internet to places where fiber optics haven't reached. These power lines are just one component of electric companies' power grids. In addition to lines, power grids use generators, substations, transformers and other distributors that carry electricity from the power plant all the way to a plug in the wall. When power leaves the power plant, it hits a transmission substation and is then distributed to highvoltage transmission lines. When transmitting broadband, these high-voltage lines are the first obstacle.

What's the Big Idea?

Despite the proliferation of broadband technology in the last few years, there are still huge parts of the world that don't have access to high-speed Internet. When weighed against the relatively small number of customers Internet providers would gain, the cost of laying cable and building the necessary infrastructure to provide DSL or cable in rural areas is too great. But if broadband could be served through power lines, there would be no need to build a new infrastructure. Anywhere there is electricity there could be broadband. By slightly modifying the current power grids with specialized equipment, the BPL developers could partner with power companies and Internet service providers to bring broadband to everyone with access to electricity. At this point, the proposal is for two types of BPL service:

The power flowing down high-voltage lines is between 155,000 to 765,000 volts. That amount of power is unsuitable for data transmission. It's too "noisy." As stated before, both electricity and the RF used to transmit data vibrate at certain frequencies. In order for data to transmit cleanly from point to point, it must have a dedicated band of the radio spectrum at which to vibrate without interference from other sources.

1.

In-House BPL will network machines within a building. 2. Access BPL will carry broadband Internet using power lines and allow power

Hundreds of thousands of volts of electricity don't vibrate at a consistent frequency. That amount of power jumps all over the spectrum. As it spikes and hums along, it creates all kinds of interference. If it spikes at a frequency that is the same as the RF used to transmit data, then it will cancel out that signal and the data transmission will be dropped or damaged en route.

I n the various approaches to last-mile solutions for BPL, some companies carry the signal in with the electricity on the power line, while others put wireless links on the poles and send the data wirelessly into homes. The CT Bridge is capable of both. The CT Bridge can also: 1. Manage symmetric data transmission to all the electrical outlets in the customer's home or office ("Symmetric" means that uploads and downloads are transmitted at the same speed.) 2. Support Wi-Fi hot spots 3. Handle data routing 4. Manage subscriber information 5. Employ Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP - The protocol that allows the management and assignment of IP addresses on a network) 6. Support security encryption of all transmissions The signal is received by a powerline modem that plugs into the wall. The modem sends the signal to your computer. Let's take a look at these modems.

BPL bypasses this problem by avoiding highvoltage power lines all together. The system drops the data off of traditional fiber-optic lines downstream, onto the much more manageable 7,200 volts of medium-voltage power lines. Once dropped on the medium-voltage lines, the data can only travel so far before it degrades. To counter this, special devices are installed on the lines to act as repeaters. The repeaters take in the data and repeat it in a new transmission, amplifying it for the next leg of the journey. In Current Communications Group's BPL, two other devices ride power distribute Internet traffic. The CT allows the data on the line to transformers. model of poles to Coupler bypass

BPL Modems

BPL modems use silicon chipsets specially designed to handle the work load of pulling The transformer's job is to reduce the 7,200 data out of an electric current. Using specially volts down to the 240-volt standard that makes developed modulation techniques and adaptive up normal household electrical service. There algorithms, BPL modems are capable of is no way for low-power data signals to pass handling powerline noise on a wide through a transformer, so you need a coupler spectrum. to provide a data path around the transformer. With the coupler, data can move easily from the 7,200-volt line to the 240-volt line and The BPL modem simply plugs into the wall and then into your into the house without any degradation. computer. These modems are capable of speeds comparable

to DSL or cable modems.

plastic. The lack of shielding is where the interference concern comes from. Depending on the bandwidth the FCC allots for BPL, interference with other radio services may be a problem. Currently, the frequency band breaks down as follows:

A BPL modem is plug_and_play and is roughly the size of a common power adapter. It plugs into a common wall socket, and an Ethernet cable running to your computer finishes the connection. Wireless versions are also available. While the potential of this new technology is exciting, not everyone is excited about it. In the next section, we'll discuss some of the challenges confronting the implementation of BPL

1.

Challenges
On April 23, 2003, the FCC put forth a Notice of Inquiry to the public supporting the potential of the BPL technology and seeking to set standards in practice for its implementation. Immediate opposition came from the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Both entities claim that BPL will cause serious interference issues. A BPL modem is considered an unlicensed device, like a cordless phone or garage door opener. All unlicensed devices are governed by the FCC's Part 15 rules. Part 15 mandates that all electronic devices sold in the United States must meet FCC radio-frequency emissions limits. These limits are in place to secure against interference with important transmissions like CB communications, airtraffic control and government channels. ARRL and FEMA are concerned about the interference caused by BPL signals transmitted on exposed medium-voltage power lines.

AM radio - 535 kilohertz to 1.7 megahertz 2. Short-wave radio - 5.9 megahertz to 26.1 megahertz 3. Citizens-band (CB) radio - 26.96 megahertz to 27.41 megahertz 4. Television stations - 54 to 88 megahertz for channels 2 through 6 5. FM radio - 88 megahertz to 108 megahertz 6. Television stations - 174 to 220 megahertz for channels 7 through 13 While FEMA is wiling to allow the FCC to seek a compromise, the ARRL claims that compromise is not possible because the bandwidth needed for BPL will directly interfere with ham radio and short-wave radio transmissions. Developers of BPL say that these interference issues have been solved. Only tests and time will tell. Until then, the advancement of BPL moves forward slowly as it waits for standards and logistics to be decided by regulating bodies.

Cable TV

operators get around the interference problem by shielding all of their cables. "Coaxial cable" used by cable TV operators has a braided metal shield that surrounds the signal wire. Telephone cables are also shielded. Power lines, on the other hand, have no shielding. In many cases, a power line is a bare wire, or a wire coated in