*Pages 1--1 from Microsoft Word - 35935* STATEMENT OF COMMISSIONER KEVIN J. MARTIN Re: Carrier Current Systems, including Broadband over Power Line Systems; ET Docket No. 03- 104; Amendment of Part 15 Regarding New Requirements and Measurement Guidelines for Access Broadband Over Power Line Systems, ET Docket No. 04- 37, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, I am pleased to support this item, which opens a rulemaking on issues related to Broadband over Power Line (BPL) systems. BPL systems use existing electric power lines to provide high- speed communications. Because power lines are ubiquitous – reaching virtually every community and every home – BPL systems have the potential to become a last- mile solution throughout the United States. As such, they would not only provide competition to cable broadband and DSL, they could bring Internet access and high- speed broadband to rural and isolated areas, which have been difficult to serve because of the high infrastructure costs of reaching those areas. BPL systems also serve an important homeland security function, providing a redundant data network. In this proceeding, we are considering how to facilitate deployment of BPL while ensuring that existing users are protected against interference. Most importantly, NTIA and FEMA have raised concerns about interference to Government operations, including some emergency communications. In addition, many amateur operators fear that they will experience unacceptable interference from BPL systems. I take these concerns very seriously. I am optimistic, however, that we can craft rules that will fully address these concerns and still allow BPL to flourish. I thus look forward to receiving comments in this proceeding. 1