An industry symposium is to examine BPL

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers is to hold a symposium on electromagnetic compatibility including a close a look at broadband over powerlines technology.

The IEEE with a membership of 360,000 in 175 countries has entered the controversial debate about transmitting radio frequency signals over powerlines.

The IEEE symposium is set down for the second week in August in Chicago Illinois.

Among the speakers are representatives of hardware manufacturers, users, regulators, and those interested in the potential, the technology has, for interfering with radio services.

Chairman of the conference technical program, Ray Klouda says "The US government is very interested in BPL because it sees the technology as a way to provide Internet access to anybody who has power lines. But there are technical difficulties. They may be difficult to overcome. I'm sceptical as to whether the technology is there," he concluded.

The controversy over BPL may generate particular activity at conference, because many members of the IEEE EMC society are radio amateurs.

And, for the first time at an IEEE symposium there will be a working amateur radio station callsign K9EMC available to radio amateurs as well as for demonstrations of radio techniques.

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Source: Wireless Institute of Australia

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