[KYHAM] ARLB005 FCC Okays BPL Proposal

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ARLB005 FCC okays BPL proposal

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ARRL Bulletin 5  ARLB005
>From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT  February 12, 2004
To all radio amateurs

SB QST ARL ARLB005
ARLB005 FCC okays BPL proposal

The FCC has unanimously approved a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) to
deploy 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 that included President Jim
Haynie, W5JBP, attended the FCC open meeting in Washington, and later
expressed disappointment in the FCC action.

''The Commission clearly recognized that the existing Part 15 emission
limits are inadequate to stop interference, but it's placing the burden of
interference mitigation on the licensed user that's supposed to be
protected,'' said ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ.

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 systems. The FCC has not yet released the
actual NPRM, and a presentation by the FCC's Office of Engineering and
Technology (OET) revealed only its broad outlines. Sumner said the League
would not take a formal position until it reviews the full NPRM.

Anh Wride of the OET staff spelled out 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. She said the OET
staff believes that interference concerns ''can be adequately addressed.''
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 that BPL systems eliminate
any harmful interference that may occur ''and must cease operation if they
cannot,'' she noted.

* 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.''

* Subjects BPL providers to notification requirements that would establish a
public database to include such information as the location of BPL devices,
modulation type and operating frequencies.

* Proposes guidelines to provide for consistent and repeatable measurement
of the RF emissions from BPL and other carrier-current systems.

Mirroring his colleagues' enthusiasm, FCC Chairman Michael Powell called BPL
''tremendously exciting.'' While conceding that BPL has ''a long way to
go,'' the chairman said it 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,
www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/.

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