According to the 13 March 2009 issue of US industry journal Network World, it is now recognised that BPL doesn't really cut the mustard against alternative internet delivery technologies in underserved rural areas.
Here's the summary:
1/ BPL networks have to be run jointly by an ISP and an electricity utility; neither knows each other's business.
2/ BPL is actually yet to be demonstrated working in a widespread deployment; a number of high-profile plans [and installation trials . . . RH] over recent years have fallen through.
3/ BPL has technological issues ranging from interference ingress and egress, power line noise and multiplexing problem.
The telling quote:
Check out the article at:". . . some network operators and analysts say BPL faces some major issues that make it unlikely to catch on as an alternative to fiber or wireless broadband technologies."
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/0 ... tml?page=1
Posted in the interests of sharing the news . . . good and bad
73, Roger Harrison VK2ZRH
Thanks to Amateur Radio Victoria for the tipoff.