Clifford Hauser, KD6XH, ARRL Section Manager, Arizona

As reported in the Arizona Republic on December 19, 2004, in an article entitled "New outlet for the Internet--Power lines may soon be the next vehicle to deliver high-speed Internet service and phone calls," a trial is now underway in Cottonwood, Arizona, involving broadband over power line (BPL) Internet access. According to this article:

"Arizona Public Service Co. is now testing the technology in Cottonwood with partners Mountain Telecommunications Inc. and Electric Broadband LLC. Tentatively, APS would provide the lines, Mountain Telecommunications would sell the service and Electric Broadband would contribute the equipment and operate the system.

"The group is working to solve interference problems that have drawn complaints from the Verde Valley Amateur Radio Association."

In order to provide Broadband over Power Line World reader/listeners with more detailed information about those efforts to resolve interference problems, BPLW interviewed two amateur radio operators with first-hand knowledge of the situation in Cottonwood.

On Monday, December 20, 2004, BPLW spoke with Clifford Hauser, KD6XH, ARRL Section Manager, Arizona. Mr. Hauser, who lives in Tucson, Arizona, participated in some tests of radio interference at the Cottonwood BPL deployment site.

You can listen to his comments on this issue by clicking here.

On Tuesday, December 21, 2004, BPLW spoke with Robert Shipton, K8EQC, VP, Verde Valley Amateur Radio Association. Mr. Shipton lives in Cottonwood, Arizona, and was able to speak in detail about the situation regarding BPL RF interference there, as well as about the wider implications of this problem.

You can listen to his remarks on this issue by clicking here.