BPL Study Bill Gains Cosponsors

NEWINGTON, CT, Feb 13, 2007 -- A bill in the US House of Representatives calling on the FCC to study the interference potential of broadband over power line (BPL) technology and report its findings back to Congress has gained two cosponsors, its sponsor, US Rep Mike Ross, WD5DVR (D-AR), reports. They are US Rep Steve Israel (D-NY) and US Rep Ron Paul (R-TX). One of two radio amateurs in the House, Ross submitted the "Emergency Amateur Radio Interference Protection Act of 2007" (HR 462) on January 12. Last year, the US House passed a telecommunications bill, HR 5252, containing language that Ross proposed requiring the FCC to study the interference potential of BPL systems. The study requirement did not make its way into the final version of the bill, however. In a letter to his House colleagues inviting additional cosponsors, Ross emphasized that his primary goal is to minimize BPL's interference potential.

"In the 110th Congress, I have reintroduced this legislation and narrowed the scope of the study significantly so as to not hinder any broadband Internet deployment that does not cause proven interference," Ross wrote. "The study called for by this bill will not slow, nor frustrate, the deployment of competitive broadband delivery mechanisms. It will not inhibit the deployment of Broadband over Power Line (BPL) systems anywhere in the US. The purpose of the study is to ascertain what additional rules should be adopted by the FCC governing BPL systems in order to reduce the interference potential to a reasonably low level."

Ross said that as a radio amateur, he believes it's imperative that BPL's interference potential be thoroughly examined and comprehensively evaluated. "Power lines are not designed to prevent radiation of RF energy; therefore BPL represents a significant potential interference source for all public safety radio services using this frequency range, including Amateur Radio operators," he told his colleagues.

HR 462 would require the Commission to address several technical facets, including variations in BPL emission field strength with distance from power lines and a technical justification for using a particular distance extrapolation factor when making measurements.

The FCC also would have to investigate the degree of notching necessary "to protect the reliability of mobile radio communications," and provide a technical justification for permitted BPL radiated emission levels relative to ambient noise levels. Finally, the study would have to outline options for new or improved BPL rules aimed at preventing harmful interference to public safety and other radio communication systems.

Ross's bill zeroes in on some of the same issues the ARRL cited last October when it asked the US Court of Appeals -- DC Circuit to review certain aspects of the Part 15 BPL rules. The League's Petition for Review asserts that the BPL rules "exceed the Commission's jurisdiction and authority; are contrary to the Communications Act of 1934; and are arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion and otherwise not in accordance with law."

HR 462 has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. If Ross's measure is adopted by both houses of Congress and signed by the president, the FCC would have to undertake a study of BPL's interference potential within 90 days of enactment and report to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

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