FCC Promotes Broadband over Power Line, Denies Television Industry and Amateur Radio Requests

Comment

Aug 7, 2006, News Report

The Federal Communications Commission last week generally affirmed its rules for Access Broadband over Power Line (Access BPL) systems while maintaining safeguards against harmful interference to existing radio services, according to an FCC release.

If harmful interference does occur, the Commission says it will take appropriate action to remedy the situation. Last week's decision was adopted in response to a number of petitions for reconsideration of the BPL rules established in October of 2004.

In the Memorandum Opinion and Order (MO&O) adopted last week, the Commission again acknowledged the significant benefits of Access BPL, reaffirmed its commitment to address interference issues, and reemphasized that the Part 15 rule changes were made to ensure that Access BPL operations do not become a source of interference to licensed radio services.

Specifically, the MO&O by the Commission:

Affirms its rules regarding emission limits for BPL, including its determination that the reduction of emissions to 20 dB below the normal Part 15 emissions limits will constitute adequate interference protection for mobile operations
Denies the request by the amateur radio community to prohibit BPL operations pending further study and to exclude BPL from frequencies used for amateur radio operations
Denies the request by the television industry to exclude BPL from frequencies above 50 MHz
Affirms the July 7, 2006 deadline for requiring certification for any equipment manufactured, imported or installed on BPL systems, with the proviso that uncertified equipment already in inventory can be used for replacing defective units or to supplement equipment on existing systems for one year within areas already in operation
Affirms the requirement that information regarding BPL deployment must be provided in a public database at least 30 days prior to the deployment of that equipment
Adopts changes regarding protection of radio astronomy stations by requiring a new exclusion zone and amending consultation requirements for these stations
Adopts changes to provide for continuing protection for aeronautical stations that are relocated
Denies the request by the aeronautical industry to exclude BPL operating on low-voltage lines from frequencies reserved for certain aeronautical operations
Denies the request by the gas and petroleum industry to be considered as public-safety entities.

Comments

By Stephen Rutten on Aug 8, 2006

My opinion is that the voting members of the FCC has just made a stupid decision as they have been given the facts by several indepentent tests which all show the BPL is not a healthy choice. Ignorance is the lack of knowledge but stupidity is having the knowledge but insisting on making the wrong choices and usuallly based upon personal gain and greed. One has to wonder if the members of this committee were being paid by the power companies directly or just given free electricity for the next 100 years. Graft is not unheard of when some major company needs a decision in their favor and this just doesn't pass the smell test. In fact, it stinks more than usual as they ignored the testing completely which definitely shows RFI, and this type of interferrence can lead to bone cancer in humans around the area. People need to understand how much this "leak" will effect them and their children. Obviously the FCC is no longer watching after the people's best interest. Maybe in the near future the people will start to do something that is revolutionary to get their coountry back into reasonable and honest hands. The members of the FCC have no integrity, ethics, or morals as proven when making this stupid decision. The communications grid is much more robust than the power grid in this country. Why not get these power companies to build some more generating plants instead of ruining the airwaves with unnecessary RFI ? This pet cow is going to cost American lives and that smell test should be on the shoulders of the indivduals on the committee. They should be held personally and financially responsible for this choice. However, they are acting just like another form of terrorist to help devistate the country. Just my humble opinion and your milage might vary.

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