bplw16-5551212

Citing successful co-existence of in-home BPL (HomePlug®) and amateur radio, FCC official says that "amateurs can operate and BPL can operate in a compatible mode" and comments specifically on BPL-generated RF interference issues in Briarcliff Manor, New York, and Cottonwood, Arizona

Broadband over Power Line™ #16

Washington, D.C.
January 3, 2005

By Marc Strassman
Reporter
Broadband over Power Line World
Broadband Wireless Access World
Grid World
Unwired LA
Etopia Media News Networks

FCC Building, Washington, D.C.

Broadband over power line trials in Briarcliff Manor, New York, and Cottonwood, Arizona, are under attack by amateur radio operators for interfering with their FCC-licensed operations

Towards the end of 2004, Broadband over Power Line World reported on a spate of complaints regarding broadband over power line (BPL) interference with amateur radio operations in Briarcliff Manor, NY and Cottonwood, Arizona.

Since both of these BPL trials, as well as all licensed amateur radio operators, are operating under regulations issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Broadband over Power Line World contacted and interviewed Bruce Franca, Deputy Chief of the Office of Engineering and Technology at the FCC, in order to get the latest information regarding that agency's attitudes towards, and involvement in, the deployment of BPL technology, with particular reference to issues of BPL-generated RF interference with amateur radio operations.

Amateur radio technology is NOT "antiquated and irrelevant," according to the FCC

In that interview, recorded today, January 3, 2005, Mr. Franca says that it is NOT the position of the FCC that amateur radio is an "antiquated and irrelevant" technology and that "There are enough frequencies that amateurs can operate and BPL can operate in a compatible mode." He also said, speaking of BPL RF interference with amateur radio operations, "I'm very optimistic at the end of the day. Technology is going to solve this problem.

BPL-generated RF interference against amateur radio operations in Briarcliff Manor, New York

Speaking about complaints from the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the leading association of amateur radio operators, about the Ambient Corporation and Con Ed BPL trial in Briarcliff Manor, New York, Mr. Franca said that "at least with regard to Briarcliff we thought that there were still conversations going on between the parties....We've suggested to Ambient and Ambient has made several modifications to its system….We've had some indication from some amateur parties that progress has been made….Right before the holidays, we thought that the parties were at least making some progress and that things were being worked out among the two parties."

As of December 18, 2004, however, ARRL was saying that the FCC had not acted on its repeated requests to shut down this trial because they (ARRL) were not satisfied with the interference mitigation efforts implemented to this point by Ambient-Con Ed.

BPL-generated RF interference against amateur radio operations in Cottonwood, Arizona

Regarding the BPL trial underway in Cottonwood, Arizona, which was being conducted under the authority of an experimental radio license granted by the FCC to Electric Broadband, LLC, a founding partner of which has said is no longer involved in that trial, Mr. Franca said of whoever is conducting the trial "they either have to operate under our rules [Part 15] or they have to basically come in for a new authorization."

Cottonwood, Arizona, BPL trial is under new management

That is, in fact, what's happened. Mountain Telecommunications, Inc., which has already told Broadband over Power Line World (BPLW) that it can't discuss the Cottonwood BPL trial and attendant RF interference issues on account of its contractual obligations with Arizona Public Service Company (APS), which has told BPLW that its only involvement in the BPL trial in Cottonwood is providing its lines, was today granted an "Experimental Radio Station Construction Permit and License" by the FCC, call sign WD2XMB.

Except for the file number and the name and address in the upper left-hand corner of the first page, this Permit-and-License seems to be identical to the Permit-and-License to operate an experimental BPL trial in Cottonwood, Arizona, issued previously to Electric Broadband. Pertinently, they both include the same "Special Condition #11": "Licensee must establish and maintain a liaison relationship with the Verde Valley Amateur Radio Association."

Links to both Permit-and-Licenses, and related materials, can be found on the appropriate FCC "Call Sign Report" page. That page reports that the new license, specifying Mountain Telecommunications, Inc., as the permit holder and licensee, was applied for by Electric Broadband.

Whether that is in fact true, or not, won't be known, if at all, prior to comments on this question from the chief of the Experimental Licensing Branch, who had already left for the day when the issuance of the new license became known to Broadband over Power Line World.

The Verde Valley Amateur Radio Association, which is already on record as dissatisfied with previous efforts to mitigate RF interference with its members' amateur radio operations, will now, presumably, need to direct any new complaints (and possibly re-send its previous ones) to the name and address of the trial operator listed in the upper left-hand corner of the new Permit-and-License, call sign WD2XMB.

Bruce Franca, Deputy Chief of the Office of Engineering and Technology at the FCC, comments on BPL-generated RF interference against amateur radio operations and other aspects of BPL deployment

You can hear the comments of Bruce Franca, FCC spokesperson on the RF interference issue, and his views on the future of BPL in general in their entirety by clicking here.

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