Communications over electrical power lines (“powerline communications”) may leapfrog cable and broadband technologies by providing cheaper and faster internet services, according to the developers of a new mains-based information transmission technology. German utility MVV will be the first company to market a commercial version of the technology if their initiative in the city of Mannheim goes ahead in the summer as planned. A project connecting 3000 homes to the city’s advanced fibre optics network follows an earlier pilot with 200 homes that has now been completed successfully.
MVV has formed a joint venture company with Main.net Ltd, a small company based in Israel and one of the leading companies in powerline in that country. Together they are seeking the exclusive right to bring powerline to Germany and Austria.
However, telecommunications consultants are not quite so sanguine about the future ascendancy of the technology. They point out that the possibility of objections on the basis of interference with electrical appliances or emergency services broadcasts remain open, the right to market access is still being dealt with on a case by case basis and there is as yet no progress to speak of on systems compatibility.
The main attractions for operators would be the avoidance of the need to build new telephone connections; and for users, who would need a pc and a module that they could connect direct to the mains, the low price, speed and accessibility of the system. Future developments could include other services currently available on cable – for example telephone access – as well as home remote control and security devices. Main.net already has pilot projects or is in talks with, utilities in several European countries as well as Brazil and the USA. Field trials in Georgia, by local joint venture company Powerline Technologies Inc, are apparently promising.
