Powell to See BPL in NYC

FCC Chairman Michael Powell plans to visit New York City Friday (Oct. 15) to see Broadband Over Power Line services offered by Verizon. He recently visited such a site in Manassas, Va. During the New York trip he intends to highlight efforts underway to bring broadband access to underserved neighborhoods, including a joint venture effort between Verizon and One Economy Corp.
Ham radio operators are concerned about the technology because of possible interference to some of the amateur radio frequencies. The FCC has said it is concerned as well and intends to make sure such interference would be reduced or eliminated.
Powell and the chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Pat Wood III, urge utilities to develop new technologies, such as BPL, to give consumers more options for broadband, provide more efficient management of the power supply system and more operational reliability.