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 NEWS  News  media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  TTY  202/  418-  2555  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  ftp.  fcc.  gov  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  This  is  an  unofficial  announcement  of  Commission  action.  Release  of  the  full  text  of  a  Commission  order  constitutes  official  action.  See  MCI  v.  FCC.  515  F  2d  385  (D.  C.  Circ  1974).  FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE  News  Media  Contact: 
 April  23,  2003  Lauren  M.  Van  Wazer  (202)  418-  0030 
 FCC  BEGINS  INQUIRY  REGARDING  BROADBAND  OVER  POWER  LINE  (BPL) 
 Washington,  DC  –As  part  of  its  ongoing  effort  to  promote  spectrum  flexibility  and  access  to  broadband  services  for  all  Americans,  and  to  encourage  multiple  platforms 
 for  broadband,  especially  new  facilities-  based  platforms,  the  FCC  today  issued  a  Notice  of  Inquiry  seeking  public  comment  on  using  existing  electrical  power  lines  to  provide 
 Internet  and  broadband  services  to  homes  and  offices. 
 Broadband  over  Power  Line  (BPL)  can  provide  consumers  with  the  freedom  to  access  broadband  services  from  any  room  in  the  house  without  adding  or  paying  for 
 additional  connections  by  simply  plugging  a  BPL  device  into  an  existing  electrical  outlet.  BPL  may  be  able  to  provide  an  additional  means  for  “last-  mile”  delivery  of  broadband 
 services  and  may  offer  a  competitive  alternative  to  digital  subscriber  line  (DSL)  and  cable  modem  services.  This  will  also  enable  access  to  communications  services  in  rural 
 and  remote  areas  of  the  country.  In  addition,  BPL  systems  can  be  used  by  electric  utility  companies  to  more  effectively  manage  their  electric  power  networks. 


 The  inquiry  addresses  the  two  types  of  BPL:  Access  and  In-  House.  Access  BPL  uses  medium  voltage  (1,000  to  40,000  volts)  power  lines  to  bring  Internet  and  other 
 broadband  applications  to  homes  and  offices.  In-  House  BPL  uses  existing  electric  utility  wiring  to  network  computers  and  printers,  as  well  as  smart  appliances,  within  a  building. 
 The  Commission  noted  that  existing  rules  for  unlicensed  carrier  current  systems,  which  couple  radio  frequency  (RF)  energy  to  the  alternating  current  (AC)  electrical  wiring  for 
 the  purpose  of  communications  have  been  successful.  However,  these  carrier  current  systems  have  operated  with  relatively  limited  communications  capability  on  frequencies 
 below  2  MHz,  over  a  narrow  spectrum  bandwidth.  Now,  the  availability  of  faster  chip  sets  and  the  development  of  sophisticated  modulation  techniques  have  produced  new  digital 
 power  line  designs  that  use  multiple  carriers,  spread  over  a  wide  frequency  range  (e.  g.,  2  -  80  MHz)  and  are  capable  of  high  data  rates.  The  Commission  further  noted  that  providers 
 of  broadband  over  power  line  equipment  are  free  to  continue  to  deploy  their  networks  in  conformance  with  existing  Part  15  rules,  and  potential  rule  changes  as  a  result  of  this 
 proceeding  will  address  prospective  compliance. 
 The  Commission,  in  this  inquiry,  seeks  information,  comment,  and  technical  data  on  issues  concerning  Broadband  over  Power  Line,  specifically: 
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