[Fists] FCC Okays BPL Proposal

[Cheryl W. Ring]

FCC Okays BPL Proposal; ARRL Officials Express Disappointment

NEWINGTON, CT, Feb 12, 2004--The FCC today agreed unanimously--with one
partial dissent--to go forward with a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM)
on the subject of Broadband over Power Line (BPL). The NPRM is the next step
in the BPL proceeding, which began last April with a Notice of Inquiry that
attracted more than 5100 comments--many from the amateur community. The FCC
did not propose any changes in Part 15 rules governing unlicensed devices,
but said it would require BPL providers to apply "adaptive" interference
mitigation techniques to their systems. An ARRL delegation attended the FCC
open meeting in Washington, and League President Jim Haynie, W5JBP,
expressed disappointment with the FCC's decision.

"I had hoped the FCC would have shown a greater depth of understanding of
the issue," he said. Haynie also said he was dumfounded that FCC staff and
some commissioners continued to tout BPL as a broadband and Internet
solution for rural dwellers when "the economic reality of that possibility
speaks for itself." Haynie said the FCC seemed to be echoing BPL industry
publicity.

The FCC has not yet released the details of the NPRM, and a presentation by
the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) revealed only its broad
outlines. But ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, said the Commission's own
presentation and the individual FCC members' comments demonstrated to him
that the NPRM should have cut the permissible emission limits under Part 15.

"The Commission clearly recognized that the existing Part 15 emission limits
are inadequate to stop interference," Sumner said," but it's placing the
burden of interference mitigation on the licensed user that's supposed to be
protected." Sumner said that if the FCC really believed current Part 15
emission limits were sufficient, it would not have had to require that BPL
providers institute interference mitigation procedures and systems. Sumner
said the League cannot take a formal position until it reviews the full
NPRM.

Anh Wride of the OET staff outlined the scope of the NPRM, which only
addresses so-called "access BPL"--the type that would apply radio frequency
energy to exterior overhead and underground low and medium-voltage power
lines to distribute broadband and Internet service.

"We also recognize the concerns of licensed radio service users regarding
the potential for interference due to operations of BPL systems, and that
these licensed operations must be protected," Wride said. "The staff
believes, however, that these interference concerns can be adequately
addressed."

She said the proposal would require that BPL systems "be able to modify
their operation to mitigate any interference that might occur." The NPRM
also would impose identification requirements on BPL providers to aid in
interference mitigation.

Wride said the FCC's BPL NPRM:

* Applies existing Part 15 emission limits for unlicensed carrier-current
systems to BPL systems. Part 15 rules now require BPL systems to eliminate
any harmful interference that may occur "and must cease operation if they
cannot," Wride said.

* Requires BPL systems to employ "adaptive interference-mitigation
techniques, including the capabilities to shut down a specific device, to
reduce power levels on a dynamic or remote-control basis and to include or
exclude specific operating frequencies or bands," Wride said. This would
alleviate site-specific interference concerns, she added.

* Subjects BPL providers to notification requirements similar to those now
required for power-line carrier systems. This would establish a public
database to include such information as the location of BPL devices,
modulation type and operating frequencies.

* Proposes guidelines to measure the RF emissions of BPL and other
carrier-current systems. "These guidelines would ensure that measurements of
the emissions from such systems are made in a consistent manner with
repeatable results for determining compliance with the rules," Wride said.
This also would aid in evaluating interference sources and applying
"appropriate interference mitigation measures," she added.

FCC Commissioner Kathleen Abernathy, already on record as an avid BPL
supporter, said the Commission was "proceeding cautiously in order to
minimize the potential for harmful interference." Abernathy asked OET Chief
Edmond Thomas to describe a likely interference scenario and "how it might
play out" in terms of the NPRM's interference mitigation provisions.

Thomas said that because BPL systems would have to be registered, it would
be easy to determine if one were in operation in the complainant's vicinity.
"If the answer is yes, they report the interference to the provider," Thomas
continued. "The provider has the capability to adjust his power and the
frequency of operation to mitigate the interference."

Thomas said that in most such circumstances, the BPL provider--as a Part 15
user--would "notch out the frequencies that are offending."

CLICK HERE to listen to the portion of the February 12 FCC meeting that
dealt with the BPL NPRM: [15:58]

Commissioner Kevin Martin called BPL "an exciting technology," and added, "I
appreciate the sensitivity that we're trying to exhibit to the concerns
about potential interference, particularly for the government operations
that have been raised by FEMA."

Commissioner Michael Copps said the FCC still faces some difficult
questions, including how to handle cross-subsidization between regulated
power businesses and unregulated communications businesses. "Is it right to
allow electricity ratepayers to pay higher bills each month to subsidize and
electric company's foray into broadband?" he asked his colleagues. Copps
dissented in part on his approval of the NPRM.

Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein said he's been impressed by the potential of
BPL technology and thinks the rules changes the FCC is proposing will
"promote future deployment of this kind of service." Adelstein said,
however, that it's crucial that the Commission address technical issues such
as interference.

"I think we need to be mindful of harmful interference, but we can't let
unsupported claims stand in the way of this kind of innovation," Adelstein
said. "We need to do everything we can to move this forward." Adelstein was
not specific in his reference to "unsupported claims."

Chairman Michael Powell called BPL "tremendously exciting." While conceding
that BPL has "a long way to go," the chairman said it also could be "the
great broadband hope for a good part of rural America." Powell also said the
FCC's OET has worked very hard to try to "get their hands around" the issue
of interference and that the FCC would continue its vigilance in that area.

The FCC is expected to issue the complete Notice of Proposed Rule Making
within a few days and will invite comments on it sometime after its
publication.

Additional information about BPL and Amateur Radio is on the ARRL Web site.
To support the League's efforts in this area, visit the ARRL's secure BPL
Web site.