This is the most comprehensive recent article I've found about Broadband over Power Lines - or BPL - technology. Basically it's high speed internet via your houses' electrical outlets. This could be a good thing for those of you out in the sticks... For that matter, if this really takes off I might be inclined to move out into the sticks myself :-)

http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtm...story_id=37312

 

That would be good for those of us who travel. Many of the RV parks do not have landlines, cable or wifi, but they all have electricity. I would imagine more parks would offer internet service if they could get it via their electrical lines. They could have the adapters available and charge so much per day or month and wouldn't have to mess with servers etc.

 

In Austria that stuff is really controversial- Basically there's no high bandwidth over longer powerlines and the long powerlines act as huge antennas that will broadcast the signals. This leads to massive interference with radio communications. (Pilots love it)
Now it's only used for the last mile distribution because the copper is already there, even if there's no DSL capable line or no TV cable. One big downside is that the neighbour using his power tool with worn out brushes is effectively slowing down your internet access.
I wouldn't put too big hopes in this technology for remote regions.

AlpineRAM

 

That would be nice. I do live in the sticks and I now have a line of sight reciever that picks up the service from a city about 6miles across the bay from me. It works well and is pretty fast . Slower now since to many people are on the service,but still alot faster than dial-up

 

Where I live in rural Mississippi definately qualifies as the sticks. We do have electricity (ha!) but no cable television because there are not enough people. Therefore we have satellite television and satellite internet access. It is kind of pricey but it is fastest internet I have ever seen. DSL is great but satellite is definately faster. However, as stated above the more people that use the internet whether it be dial up, DSL, or satellite the slower they become.

 

Eddiebob, not sure if you are talking about DirectWay or not? If so, Is NOT faster than any DSL or Cable. We have directway and it is actually only about twice as fast as 56K dial up. (Which is like 5 times slower than cable).
There is a company round here called BayBroadband, they offer a wireless signal straight to your house. Now then, IT'S supposed to be faster than ALL cable access no matter where you are. (Of course I'm too far from the nearest tower).
I'm in the sticks too, guess I qualify as Boone Docks. Fast internet would make business easier.

 

Sorry, DireCway.

 

I think the BPL idea is good but in operation it is going to be BAD. It would be like a large scale AWACS as it is supposedly going to cause interferance throughout a number of entire frequency bands and render them useless.
Any amature radio operatior can give you insight.

http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/
Also down the line devices in your house could be able to transmitt data from your house withought your knowledge.

 

I live far enough out that I cant get cable, DSL or wireless??? I was told I am too far from any relay towers? Sattilite isnt offered here for less than $350 a MONTH!!
Soooo, I get dial-up, and have an average connection speed of 26.4bps........28.8 on a realy good day, tho its rare
After awhile ya get used to it..... you avoid photos and graphics, limit the size of emails ya send and delete large ones before they tie up the computer forever and a day....
I would love to try anything that would speed this thing up some....

paintingthehousewhilewaitingforthenextpagetoload.. ......Chris

 

Wow!! Both of the satellite internet providers that I have talked to both quote a lot less than that. I would check again on that if I were you. My house in Iowa is out in the sticks and I am looking at installing that and my prices are:

$350 parts/installation
$60 a month


Regards,

Brad

 

They onlyone I could find that offered service here was Directway, and that is what they quoted me....

 

We do have Directway and the last time I used it to download it did it at 2200bps. Never see the little green boxes when you open up a web site. I have several friends who have DSL and it does not touch the satellite speed (down here). As stated above the satellite service costs us $60/month.

 

well, we are selling the house , and will be moving by the end of the month ( I hope)
The area we are moving to has both DSL and cable service available , I am looking at SBC DSL service for 14.95 a month...