Broadband Over Power Lines

[Konaguy]

It looks like HECO has ceased development of implementing BPL here in Hawaii.
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070611/BUSINESS/706110331/1071

[Random]

Is that a good or a bad thing?

[Vanguard]

Had they continued with the internet plan, internet service fees would probably have costed less for everyone due to that added competition. Otherwise it seems to be just meh.

[Konaguy]

Is that a good or a bad thing?

Its a bad thing, as BPL would've given us another choice besides DSL, and cable.

[Random]

Its a bad thing, as BPL would've given us another choice besides DSL, and cable.
Perhaps, but until I can find a more affordable broadband service, I'll stick with dial-up for now.

Would have been nice if HiTelcom offer a low-broadband rate plan. I would have been content for a 560kbps (or 10x the 56k speed) for $20 or less.

[Keith H.]

Is that a good or a bad thing?

If you depend on radio communication, HECO dropping BPL is a GOOD thing. The frequency range used by BPL is that also used by ham radio, long distance radio comm, etc. Basically, with BPL you have unshielded wires with huge amounts of wattage going through it...kinda like, maybe...an antenna?

At least cable is shielded coax, and telephone line, while unshielded, doesn't have enough energy going through it to cause RF interference.

http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/bpl-deployment.html

[Glen Miyashiro]

Its a bad thing, as BPL would've given us another choice besides DSL, and cable.Don't forget WiMAX, available through ClearWire. I know a ClearWire subscriber who's very happy with his choice. Me, I'm still waiting to see how it holds up.

[GeckoGeek]

Is that a good or a bad thing?

Good.

HECO was going full-steam ahead with it saying they needed the data infrastructure to manage their electrical network. It was hoped by overbuilding and selling broadband it would pay for itself. However BPL was too little too late. The data rate was unimpressive (less then DSL) and shared by everyone on the same transformer. So it wouldn't scale worth beans. Not to mention having to put in the whole works for just one subscriber on that transformer. To be profitable they'd probably need a few customers per transformer and it's questionable that they'd get that kind of market penetration.

Bottom line there were serious flaws. Had HECO gone ahead it would have bombed and the electric rate payers would have had to bail it out because it was needed to manage the network.

I'm a little surprised they aren't going with a slower speed data over power technology. The slower ones have been around for ages and are well proven.

Time sensitive billing could be interesting. If that happens I'll have to fix the timer on my water heater.

[timkona]

I heard Dish Network is gettin ready to unveil the newest thing. TV, Telephone, and Internet all from the same dish on your house. Supposedly not available in Hawaii, but I betcha it works with a bigger dish if you pay the extra coin.

[Konaguy]

Don't forget WiMAX, available through ClearWire. I know a ClearWire subscriber who's very happy with his choice. Me, I'm still waiting to see how it holds up.

Clearwire's current offerings are admittedly quite pathetic. Maybe WiMAX will allow faster speeds than 1.5Mbps/256K. Until then I won't hold my breath.

[Konaguy]

Perhaps, but until I can find a more affordable broadband service, I'll stick with dial-up for now.

Would have been nice if HiTelcom offer a low-broadband rate plan. I would have been content for a 560kbps (or 10x the 56k speed) for $20 or less.

Oceanic offers an unadvertised service called Road Runner lite. It is 768K/128K for 25.99 a month.

[GeckoGeek]

I heard Dish Network is gettin ready to unveil the newest thing. TV, Telephone, and Internet all from the same dish on your house.

Uhhhh. Maybe, but I tend to have doubts about how well it will do. Bouncing a signal off a geosynchronous satellite adds a 1/4 second delay to the signal. Or a 1/2 second from request to response. That's why we don't use normally use satellites for telephone conversations. It introduces an unnatural delay.

It will be great for those in the boonies, but it won't be the service of choice for those who have options.

[Random]

It will be great for those in the boonies, but it won't be the service of choice for those who have options.
Due to our terrains, many islanders are technically in the "boonies."

Isn't that why Hawaii got a waiver from FCC with regards to covering the state with over-the-air digital broadcasting signals?

BTW, if I'm a renter, do I have to convince my landlord to get BPL, or can I sign up for my own separate account?

[GeckoGeek]

Due to our terrains, many islanders are technically in the "boonies."

I guess it depends on how you define it. In the case of my quote (phone and Internet via satellite), it would probably be the service of last resort.


BTW, if I'm a renter, do I have to convince my landlord to get BPL, or can I sign up for my own separate account?

I don't know how HECO would do that. If they'd tie it to your electric bill or create a separate account for just information service. But it's a moot point. BPL is dead.

[Random]

I don't know how HECO would do that. If they'd tie it to your electric bill or create a separate account for just information service. But it's a moot point. BPL is dead.
But hypothetically...

The electric bill have my landlord's name on it, not mine. Therefore she has an account with HECO. I don't, so how would a renter get BPL?

[GeckoGeek]

But hypothetically...

The electric bill have my landlord's name on it, not mine. Therefore she has an account with HECO. I don't, so how would a renter get BPL?

OK, playing along....

I think HECO would quickly realize it would be locking itself out of situations if it required the person being billed for the electricity to authorize the broadband. They'd find a way of sending you the bill for the connection without disrupting the bill for the electricity. There's nothing that has to be done to a house or small apartment. You just plug the modem into a wall outlet like any other appliance. They connect the bridge to their equipment out on the pole. No need to involve the landlord unless it's a big building where the transformer is part of and controlled by the building.

Not a deal breaker except in large buildings - and those can be problematic for DSL and cable anyway.