Verizon might be in a bind soon:

[digitalworld]

Not sure I am following the logic of direct bury / underground vs. aerial. I don't think one is necessarily advantageous over the other WRT longevity in terms of life expectancy of the glass. Many other factors go into determining if it goes in the ground or on poles. It's typically much cheaper to go aerial but many areas depending on locale do not allow it so it's got to be underground. Each approach has inherent risks to damage, underground- fiber cuts from digging, aerial- weather and other traffic induced risks.

Underground fiber is either direct-bury or run through conduit. Again, primarily an installation and cost concern.

As for life expectancy, copper in the ground will deteriote but fiber has a much longer life expectancy from degradation thus it doesn't have to be replaced nearly as often (if ever... within reason).

I think BPL is interesting and it definitely has its challenges. I've worked with early implementations and they were less than impressive. I am sure the technology has improved but the public grid is strife with challenges. I think limited deployments may be successful but to think a universally accessible service from any wall outlet, not any time soon. I hope they prove me wrong.

 

[navychop]

This is a pipe dream. BPL has not yet proven itself anywhere in the world, and certainly not at the massive bandwidth the first post would require. Sure, the video is distributed to all, but much of the bandwidth (data/voice/VOD) will be unique to each and every customer drop, driving total BW requirements ever higher. There will be service points needed to section off areas of the power distribution net to isolate and reuse some of this BW for the unique to each customer requirements. And remember, the power distribution network (grid) is not laid out like cable or phone. It's not point to point, it's redundant in that power may flow into certain areas through more than one point. This may automatically help balance power needs and flows, but is sure to cause problems for data flows and timing. Not insurmountable, but not trivial.

Piggybacking the high frequencies does cause RF interference. Passing those signals over many miles, over lines of varying voltage and noise levels, and colocated with inherently noisy equipment, is going to be a challenge, to say the least. Look at how much trouble cablecos have with balancing their systems. It'll only be worse for power companies.

Easy to make pie in the sky projections, but until they can demonstrate at least a workable metropolitan area broadband service, it would be premature to believe they could provide all these services.

 

[LonghornXP]

This is a pipe dream. BPL has not yet proven itself anywhere in the world, and certainly not at the massive bandwidth the first post would require. Sure, the video is distributed to all, but much of the bandwidth (data/voice/VOD) will be unique to each and every customer drop, driving total BW requirements ever higher. There will be service points needed to section off areas of the power distribution net to isolate and reuse some of this BW for the unique to each customer requirements. And remember, the power distribution network (grid) is not laid out like cable or phone. It's not point to point, it's redundant in that power may flow into certain areas through more than one point. This may automatically help balance power needs and flows, but is sure to cause problems for data flows and timing. Not insurmountable, but not trivial.

Piggybacking the high frequencies does cause RF interference. Passing those signals over many miles, over lines of varying voltage and noise levels, and colocated with inherently noisy equipment, is going to be a challenge, to say the least. Look at how much trouble cablecos have with balancing their systems. It'll only be worse for power companies.

Easy to make pie in the sky projections, but until they can demonstrate at least a workable metropolitan area broadband service, it would be premature to believe they could provide all these services.

Don't get me wrong on what I said. This is nothing for short term but something which I know will be solved and working in the timeframe of 2008ish which is when Verizon will have most of their areas wired up and ready to go. Again many areas with Verizon have fiber today but most won't have it for several more years at the least. But I do know what your saying but I also believe these issues will indeed be worked out with time. Even if they can only do broadband its one more company that will keep prices lower for us and might very well force better bundles from our cable and phone companies.

 

[Stargazer]

I am thinking that the power companies would have an advantage in rolling out BPL before Verizon gets the fiber out to all of their customers in that they would get customers that Verizon does not offer the service to.

 

[LonghornXP]

I am thinking that the power companies would have an advantage in rolling out BPL before Verizon gets the fiber out to all of their customers in that they would get customers that Verizon does not offer the service to.

That is what their are banking on. Also don't forget that power companies are working and spending great amonts of money to figure out how to offer phone, video and internet service because as you pointed out if they can get the technicial side worked out they can roll things out so much quicker than verizon can ever dream off. Just think how ticked off Verizon would be if the power company came along and stold all their business because they couldn't upgrade quick enough.

 

[Stargazer]

With the amount of money that BPL would save on not running new lines they could use that money on rolling that service out on existing lines and/or offering the service for a cheaper price and/or to more/most customers. Competition is good. This would keep the prices in check instead of a Verizon FIOS/Fiber monopoly causing prices to be higher. This will help Verizon either roll quicker or maybe make them reconsider where they roll their service out to only those areas where BPL is not offered. This could mean that more areas would become served quicker.

 

[LonghornXP]

With the amount of money that BPL would save on not running new lines they could use that money on rolling that service out on existing lines and/or offering the service for a cheaper price and/or to more/most customers. Competition is good. This would keep the prices in check instead of a Verizon FIOS/Fiber monopoly causing prices to be higher. This will help Verizon either roll quicker or maybe make them reconsider where they roll their service out to only those areas where BPL is not offered. This could mean that more areas would become served quicker.

I agree with you. No matter how all this breaks down in the end it will no doubt be better for every customer. This really is the time that TV, internet and phone providers need a kick in the behind to get them back to what made them what they are and that is the customers.

 

[Stargazer]

When push comes to shove (when they are given a reason/pressure to advance their services) then it shall be. If there is just one player in the field then you will not go very far.