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 Previous: In Brief | ![Next (later) Story](/images/sty-up.gif "New Amateur Radio Bill Cosponsors "an Optimistic Sign," Haynie Says"){kind=small} Next: New Amateur Radio Bill Cosponsors "an Optimistic Sign," Haynie Says |
NEWINGTON, CT, Feb 12, 2004--The FCC today agreed unanimously--with one partial dissent--to go forward with a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) on the subject of Broadband over Power Line (BPL). The NPRM is the next step in the BPL proceeding, which began last April with a Notice of Inquiry that attracted more than 5100 comments--many from the amateur community. The FCC did not propose any changes in Part 15 rules governing emissions from unlicensed devices, but said it would require BPL providers to apply "adaptive" interference mitigation techniques to their systems. An ARRL delegation attended the FCC open meeting in Washington, and League President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, expressed disappointment with the FCC's decision.
"I had hoped the FCC would have shown a greater depth of understanding of the issue," he said. Haynie also said he was dumfounded that FCC staff and some commissioners continued to tout BPL as a broadband and Internet solution for rural dwellers when "the economic reality of that possibility speaks for itself." Haynie said the FCC seemed to be echoing BPL industry publicity.
The FCC has not yet released the details of the NPRM, and a presentation by the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) revealed only its broad outlines. But ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, said the Commission's own presentation and the individual FCC members' comments demonstrated to him that the NPRM should have cut the permissible emission limits under Part 15.
"The Commission clearly recognized that the existing Part 15 emission limits are inadequate to stop interference," Sumner said, "but it's placing the burden of interference mitigation on the licensed user that's supposed to be protected." Sumner said that if the FCC really believed current Part 15 emission limits were sufficient, it would not have had to require that BPL providers institute interference mitigation procedures and systems. Sumner said the League cannot take a formal position until it reviews the full NPRM.
Anh Wride of the OET staff outlined the scope of the NPRM, which only addresses so-called "access BPL"--the type that would apply radio frequency energy to exterior overhead and underground low and medium-voltage power lines to distribute broadband and Internet service.
"We also recognize the concerns of licensed radio service users regarding the potential for interference due to operations of BPL systems, and that these licensed operations must be protected," Wride said. "The staff believes, however, that these interference concerns can be adequately addressed."
She said the proposal would require that BPL systems "be able to modify their operation to mitigate any interference that might occur." The NPRM also would impose identification requirements on BPL providers to aid in interference mitigation.
Wride said the FCC's BPL NPRM:
FCC Commissioner Kathleen Abernathy, already on record as an avid BPL supporter, said the Commission was "proceeding cautiously in order to minimize the potential for harmful interference." Abernathy asked OET Chief Edmond Thomas to describe a likely interference scenario and "how it might play out" in terms of the NPRM's interference mitigation provisions.
Thomas said that because BPL systems would have to be registered, it would be easy to determine if one were in operation in the complainant's vicinity. "If the answer is yes, they report the interference to the provider," Thomas continued. "The provider has the capability to adjust his power and the frequency of operation to mitigate the interference."
Thomas said that in most such circumstances, the BPL provider--as a Part 15 user--would "notch out the frequencies that are offending."
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Commissioner Kevin Martin called BPL "an exciting technology," and added, "I appreciate the sensitivity that we're trying to exhibit to the concerns about potential interference, particularly for the government operations that have been raised by FEMA."
Commissioner Michael Copps said the FCC still faces some difficult questions, including how to handle cross-subsidization between regulated power businesses and unregulated communications businesses. "Is it right to allow electricity ratepayers to pay higher bills each month to subsidize an electric company's foray into broadband?" he asked his colleagues. Copps dissented in part on his approval of the NPRM.
Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein said he's been impressed by the potential of BPL technology and thinks the rules changes the FCC is proposing will "promote future deployment of this kind of service." Adelstein said, however, that it's crucial that the Commission address technical issues such as interference.
"I think we need to be mindful of harmful interference, but we can't let unsupported claims stand in the way of this kind of innovation," Adelstein said. "We need to do everything we can to move this forward." Adelstein was not specific in his reference to "unsupported claims."
Chairman Michael Powell called BPL "tremendously exciting." While conceding that BPL has "a long way to go," the chairman said it also could be "the great broadband hope for a good part of rural America." Powell also said the FCC's OET has worked very hard to try to "get their hands around" the issue of interference and that the FCC would continue its vigilance in that area.
The FCC is expected to issue the complete Notice of Proposed Rule Making within a few days and will invite comments on it sometime after its publication.
Additional information about BPL and Amateur Radio is on the ARRL Web site. To support the League's efforts in this area,
visit the ARRL's
secure BPL Web site.
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