BPL ramp-up or just more hype?

Key players in the electrical services industry have foreshadowed their hopes of being able to commercially roll out Broadband over Powerlines (BPL) in Victoria and Queensland.

Australian company Nilsen Electric, an industry leader formed 90-years ago, has partnered with Scheider Electric and ilevo, a Swedish BPL software and hardware company.

We know Scheider, which owns ilevo, is using its equipment for the first BPL trial in Victoria at Mt Beauty with power company SP Ausnet.

That trial has resulted in documented substantial and harmful interference to radio communications, which is being investigated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

Information technology job advertisements placed by Nilsen Electric, announces its partnership with Schneider and states the aim of that move is "to capitalise on the existing growth experienced in the BPL space".

The most senior position on offer is a Melbourne-based Broadband over Powerlines Operations Manager for the self-proclaimed "aggressive sales focussed organisation" which is looking for "senior talent to help the company grow its business".

There are Broadband Sales Executive positions in Melbourne and Brisbane too. Applicants for those are promised "an unsurpassed opportunity to join this exciting and fast growing segment of the market."

The combination of Nilsen, Schneider and ilevo could make it a strong competitor for the other BPL hopeful, Mitsubishi Electrics that has partnered with Aurora Energy and now engaged in a commercial pilot trial of BPL with more than 500 customers in Hobart.

Jim Linton VK3PC

Source: Wireless Institute of Australia

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