Electric broadb

© Tech Mahindra Limited 2011 © Tech Mahindra Limited 2010

ELECTRIC BROADBAND:

PROMISING TECHNOLOGY FOR RURAL AREAS Author Venkat Annadata

Abstract: High-speed Internet seamless access is the expectation of recent technology trends. While many of the technologies like HSPxA, WiMAX & LTE are promising and meeting the expectations appropriately, ‘Digital Divide’ still exists when penetrating to the rural areas in a seamless and the cost effective way. The solution to the above situation is having a way of channeling the broadband internet on the electricity supply so that networking is carried out on power mains. Distribution of internet data on the power lines is called as HomePlug or Broadband over Power lines (BPL). Electric Broadband! , is a innovation in the recent technology trends. This technology is certainly encouraging and infrastructure cost effective model to offer broadband at high speed internet access - having penetration even into the rural areas since every home in the world is served by power lines. Current technical white paper provides insights on the Electric Broadband technology and its working model.

1 © Tech Mahindra Limited 2011

Table of Contents

WHAT IS ELECTRIC BROADBAND? .................................................................. 2 DATA TRANSMISSION SOLUTION ARCHITECTURE ............................................ 2 TECHNOLOGY BENEFITS ................................................................................ 3 USE CASES ................................................................................................... 4

EFFECTIVE POWER GRID MANAGEMENT ..................................................... 4 TECHNOLOGY ISSUES .................................................................................... 4

INTEREFERENCE ........................................................................................ 4 LACK OF COEXISTENCE WITH WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES ............................... 4

DELAY IN STANDARDS RATIFICATION .............................................................. 5 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................... 6 REFERENCES ................................................................................................ 6 GLOSSARY.................................................................................................... 6


WHAT IS ELECTRIC BROADBAND? Broadband Internet, as known to everyone, is a data transmission mechanism over high bandwidth channels through cables or over the air. Wireline broadband is called ADSL and Wireless Broadband technologies emerging are Mobile WiMAX and Advanced LTE.

Electric Broadband is an innovative technology to carry the Internet data over relatively medium/high frequency electric signals. Usually Broadband uses low‐frequency electric signals to carry ordinary phone calls and higher‐frequency signals to carry Internet data as we see in the ADSL technology. Electronic filters separate the two kinds of signal, with the low frequencies going to your telephone and the higher frequencies to your Internet modem.

The principle behind Electric Broadband technology is fairly simple ‐ because electricity routes over just the low‐frequency portions of power lines, data packets can be streamed over higher frequencies.

DATA TRANSMISSION SOLUTION ARCHITECTURE Fundamental concepts of Radio Frequency (RF) energy if bundled on the same line that carries electric current is the key technical concept that is driving the Electric Broadband technology. Since the RF and electricity vibrate on different frequencies, there will be no interference between the two and also the packets transmitted over RF are not lost due to the electrical current.

Electric Broadband system consumes only a part of the complete power grid. Usually electricity power generating plants carries to transmit power to substations which then distribute the current using high‐voltage transmission lines of 155K to 765K volts and these are not relevant for packet or RF transmission.

Solution for Electric Broadband technology is to bypass the substations and high‐voltage wires and concentrate on the medium‐voltage transmission lines which typically carries around 7,200 volts and then the transformers convert the electrical current to 240 volts – where the electrical current supplied to the households.

Putting in simple words, standard fiber optic lines are specifically designed for Internet transmissions are going to be used to carry data. These fiber optic lines will be connected to medium‐voltage lines. Repeaters are installed at these junction points to repeat the data and boost the strength of the transmission. Couplers or specialized devices are also going to be installed at the transformers to provide a data link around these. After that, the digital data will be carried down the 240‐volt line that connects to the residential or office building’s electrical outlets which become the final distribution point for the data.


At this juncture, the residents and the enterprises have two options for Internet connectivity. They can get wireless transmitters that will wirelessly receive the signal and send the data on to computer stations or they can get Broadband over Power Lines modems for data filtering ‐the Electric Broadband will screen out power line noise and let only data through ‐ then send the data onwards to the stations. The wireless transmitter or the Electric Broadband modem can transmit the signal to end‐users or computer stations wirelessly (which my require WLAN‐capable devices) or through wires (which require computers connected to the data transmitter or Electric Broadband over modem Ethernet cables.

Fig.1 Electric Broadband Transmission Architecture

TECHNOLOGY BENEFITS Affordable.

Uses existing electrical wiring and outlets to avoid expensive data cabling pulls—save up to 75%!

Convenience for your customers or tenants.

Every electric outlet in every room becomes Internet‐enabled.

Easy to use.

No software is necessary, simply “plug and play.”

Reliable.

Unlike wireless solutions that suffer from hit‐and‐miss service coverage, BPL‐based solutions provide universal coverage.

Installation without disruption.

Installations are completed in days, not weeks.

Fast!

Blazing fast speeds of up to 6 million bits per second connectivity.


USE CASES

EFFECTIVE POWER GRID MANAGEMENT Utilities are able to manage their systems better by having the data streamed to them on the power lines. Because this has such a benefit relating directly to the management of electricity there remains a high likelihood of electric utilities investing more money into Electric Broadband. Being able to monitor the electricity grid over the power grid network will create a virtual workforce with many less man hours needed. As an example, a customer in a home or commercial business would call to report an outage but this would not be needed with Electric Broadband. The data flowing from the home and business would stop and this would be reported to the utility immediately via their monitoring systems.

TECHNOLOGY ISSUES

INTEREFERENCE Although the technology for Electric Broadband is available, and the companies have started offering the service in the US, it is facing opposition from ham operators (Amateur Radio) and the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) who are concerned that Electric Broadband technology will reduce the number of radio frequencies available for ham and short‐wave radio operators and that RF transmission over unshielded medium‐voltage lines will cause interference with already‐assigned frequencies.

LACK OF COEXISTENCE WITH WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES To allow a wired‐based network to make large portions of frequencies unusable in the RF world is tantamount to the way industry used to be permitted to cause serious pollution. Cable companies use frequencies in VHF and UHF bands that were they to leak out into the outside world, would wreak havoc with aviation and public safety frequencies. They are subject to strict limits that include a need for them to regularly test the cumulative effect of the leakage from their system and there’s no reason why any other wired network like Electric Broadband shouldn’t be subject to strict limits – it’s a wired medium, it is not necessary for it to affect wireless media in any way.


DELAY IN STANDARDS RATIFICATION Transmission standards for Electric Broadband technology is emerging and yet to see draft versions released. This is further hampering efforts to have the technology adapted by more Internet Service Providers.


CONCLUSION

On a final note, Electric Broadband is at least 2 years away. However, from the Google research in vendors involved, BPL is already happening to the tune of about $15 million annually. Since the technology serves a much larger audience than any of its competing technologies. With that kind of potential, it should be able to sustain a growth rate of two to three times that of either cable or telephone companies.

REFERENCES

www.ibec.net/

http://www.birds-eye.net/article_archive/broadband_over_power_lines_bpl.htm

http://www.entrepreneur.com/tradejournals/article/115405851.html

GLOSSARY

ADSL Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line BPL Broadband over Power Lines EB Electric Broadband FEMA Federal Emergency Management Administration HSPA High Speed Internet Access LTE Long Term evolution RF Radio Frequency UHF Ultra high frequency VHF Very high frequency WiMAX Wireless Interoperability for Microwave Access

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