Aurora cuts communications

Aurora Energy announced last Tuesday that is was pulling the plug (no pun intended) on its BPL trial in Hobart and Burnie, Tasmania.

Aurora's announcement follows two similar announcements in the United States by Austin Energy in Austin, Texas and by Duke Energy in North Carolina.

Aurora in their press release stated that they were shifting their focus to fibre to deliver high speed communications around the State.

As a result of increasing competition and the rapidly changing national policy position for retail telecommunications, Aurora is to divest its involvement with the local retailer TasTel and conclude its Broadband over Powerlines initiative.

Aurora Chief Executive, Dr. Peter Davis, said that against this background and after careful commercial assessment, Aurora's board and management had determined that the BPL trial should be concluded.

Dr. Davis, is reported to have said that Aurora's BPL trial 'does not have the resources to maintain its viability', and 'certainly it hasn't been a good money-making exercise for Aurora'.

Aurora has spent about $2 million since the inception of the trial in 2004.

Naturally, that won't be the end of BPL in Australia with several mainland trials continuing and possibly more planned.

Justin, VK7TW

www.auroraenergy.com.au/news/default.asp?file=27-november-2007.txt

http://reast.asn.au/bpl/

VK7 Virtual BPL Tours:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdcY0Eetvsw - Mt Nelson
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gsxpya3CnQ - North Hobart
www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7DfdxjRkpU - R U ready for BPL?

Source: Wireless Institute of Australia