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 Previous: Thanks Go to Vaca Valley Radio Club Mentor |  Next: Surfin': Light Portable Operations |
 President George W. Bush addresses a Commerce Department gathering. [White House Photo by Tina Hager] |
NEWINGTON, CT, Jun 25, 2004--In a June 24 speech at the US Department of Commerce, President George W. Bush expressed support for that department's efforts to address the interference potential of broadband over power line (BPL). His comments--and recent remarks by others in the Bush administration--suggest the White House is putting its faith in recommendations of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)--a Commerce Department branch--to find fixes for BPL's interference potential. The NTIA's Phase 1 BPL report acknowledges that the technology can cause interference. The agency's subsequent comments in the BPL proceeding at once tout the technology and recommend additional interference-mitigation measures for BPL providers to implement.
"And one of the problems we've got here is that the Commerce Department has had to develop technical standards that will make sure that our broadband can go across power lines without unnecessary interference," Bush said, referring to the NTIA study. "So it's a technological problem. It's a technological issue. It turns out that sometimes the competition of broadband and electricity just doesn't go too good across one line." Bush said the Commerce Department "is helping to sort through these issues."
At the same time, Bush reiterated his support for BPL--which he called "a fantastic innovation"--as part of the technological mix necessary "to get broadband to more Americans."
Following a Bush speech April 26 that advocated changing technical standards to encourage BPL deployment in the US, ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, appealed to the president to withdraw his support for the technology and focus his attention on "more suitable technologies" such as wireless broadband.
Responding on behalf of the White House earlier this month, Commerce Secretary Donald L. Evans told Haynie that the administration "recognizes the interference risks" associated with BPL. "If those risks are not addressed," Evans wrote, "we risk harm not only to amateur radio operators, but also to the more than 59,000 federal frequency assignments that may be impacted by BPL."
Referencing the NTIA's Phase 1 BPL study, Evans said the NTIA and the FCC were working closely together to "develop mechanisms to mitigate potentially harmful BPL interference."
"While the Administration supports expeditious deployment of BPL services," Evans concluded, "we are equally committed to ensuring that we are responsible and sensitive to valuable incumbent systems."
Haynie received similar assurances from White House Senior Director for Technology Richard Russell during a May 20 visit by an ARRL delegation. In an on-line forum June 24 on the Bush Administration's "Innovation Agenda," Russell mentioned BPL briefly in one response, describing it as "special electrical plugs which allow consumers to receive broadband transmitted through power lines, from any outlet in their home."
 President George W. Bush views a demonstration of broadband and wireless technologies June 24 at the Commerce Department. [White House Photo by Tina Hager] |
Responding to an inquiry regarding President Bush's support for BPL, Russell referred to the president's Commerce Department address. "Personally, I am energized about Broadband over Power Lines," Russell said. "The Department of Commerce has made over 10 million measurements that will help address interference issues associated with BPL. By addressing these issues, we hope that Broadband over Power Lines can be rolled out responsibly and create another broadband channel into the home."
Evans' reference to "59,000 federal frequency assignments" and Russell's to "over 10 million measurements" both refer to NTIA's BPL study.
Haynie has said that while the League supports bringing broadband service to Americans at lower cost, BPL is "an inappropriate technology with far greater disadvantages than advantages."
Bush also spent considerable time discussing the prospects
of wireless broadband delivery. However, he expressed concerns about available
spectrum for such technology and cautioned against "crowding out important
government functions" and "the Defense Department's capacity to defend America."
| Previous: Thanks Go to Vaca Valley Radio Club Mentor | Next: Surfin': Light Portable Operations |
