[HCDX] PLC

[Enrico Oliva <oliva@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Some important info from Edxc List:

About the Powerline question prof. Filippo Giannetti, an associate
professor of information technologies at the University of Pisa and a
dxer and  radio-amateur, has released his report, confirming that "as
matter of fact, it is highly possible that, at least under some
unfavourable conditions, a strong interference from PLC can badly
affect radio signals, especially the weakest ones. Further
investigation on the subject is mandatory indeed in order to provide
resolutive answers to this dilemma and to preserve radio communications
from possible PLCs' letal electromagnetic pollution". Prof. Giannetti
also held an effective experiment reproducing some radio listening
conditions under PLC's presence in his laboratory. I thank Filippo for
his active and original contribution which is now available to all on
the opening page of the web site  www.edxc.org .  The report will be
also sent to the Authorities both in Germany and internationally.
Reproduction by member clubs' bulletins is allowed provided it will be
fully credited to the European Dx Council as well as to Prof.
Giannetti. Reproduction on other media is subject to prior request to
be submitted to the EDXC Secretary General.

And some info from Reuters:

Friday March 30 9:16 AM ET
Powerline Technology Wins Legal Backing

By Vera Eckert

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Germany's Bundesrat upper house of parliament on
Friday cleared regulatory hurdles for the so-called powerline technology for
fast Internet access via electricity lines.

A statement issued by the economics ministry in Berlin said three laws
setting out the conditions for powerline operations had been approved,
clearing the way for nationwide implementation in the 16 states in due
course.

``The three laws regulate the efficient and disturbance-free usage of
frequencies,'' economics minister Werner Mueller said in the statement.
``This clears the way for the introduction of new technologies such as
telecommunications via power lines.''

The move gives powerline -- where Germany is the world's leading test
market -- the chance of competing with other established communications
channels such as cable television and telephone networks.

Analysts say that by delivering high-speed Internet connections through
residential wall sockets, utilities could break the phone companies' grip on
Internet access while also offsetting recent losses due to shrinking retail
power margins.

An economics ministry spokesman said postal and telecommunications watchdog
RegTP was expected to allocate applicable frequencies by the end of next
month.

``Companies complying with the laws are given permission to install and
operate the technology across the country,'' he said.

Among other stipulations, the laws ensure that a wide-spread powerline
system does not interfere with electrical appliances or radio frequencies
needed for emergency and military services.

German utility MVV (MVVG.DE) said the legal green light would allow it to
roll out the technology in the south west city of Mannheim as early as May,
rather than in the summer of 2001.

``We can go ahead now and move into the mass market,'' spokesman Heinz
Egermann told Reuters.

MVV, which initially plans to connect 3,000 private customers in what it
says is the world's first commercial application of that size, had also
agreed to supply the technology to five other utilities, he said.

It would be offered on a franchise basis via Power Plus Communications AG
(PPC), a joint franchising venture between MVV and its Israeli partner firm
Main.net.

``We also have many more interested parties since presenting our growth
ambitions for powerline at the Cebit computer fair last week in Hanover,''
Egermann said.

Rwe Sees Expanding Mass Market

Leading German utility RWE (RWEG.F) said the law created the basis for its
own powerline distribution plans in conjunction with its Swiss technology
partner Ascom (ASCZ.S) in the summer.

``RWE Power Net will enter the market from July onwards in the town of
Essen,'' RWE spokesman Andreas Preuss told Reuters.

``We have seen a lot of interest from enthusiastic customers, especially
schools, where we plan schemes to install the Internet in every classroom,''
he added.

RWE during Cebit last week said it hoped to gain 20,000 powerline Internet
customers by the end of 2001 and would charge according to the amount of
data each customer received.

RWE has two million retail power customers and, via shareholdings in
municipalities, access to another 10 million.

If successful, it plans an international franchising venture -- a
co-operation in Brazil is already underway.



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