 
MattE
Obama '08
Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC | Yes we do.... We do get all the cool new toys because of the Research Triangle Park, which is between Durham/Cary/Raleigh.
--
Edwards in 2004 | |
|
 | 
Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02
Host:
Road Runner
PC gaming GAMES
PC gaming Tech
edit:
February 19th, @03:55PM
| Re: Yes we do.... Also with all of the development in the South I assume it's easier to wire developments created last month than it is to wire some neighborhood in Queens with ancient Borg like infrastructure....
Having just driven from NY to Florida I can't get over how some regions (Carolinas and Florida in particular) are just exploding with development of all kinds..... | |
|
| |
MattE
Obama '08
Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC | Re: Yes we do.... VERY true Karl.
The Raleigh/Durham/Chapel-Hill area especially is exploding.
Every time I drive that way I am amazed because there is a new interstate loop or ten new housing developments.
--
Edwards in 2004 | |
|
| | |
Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02 | Re: Yes we do.... I read someplace that Charlotte is opening something like 11 new school districts this year... | |
|
| | | 
sork1222
@myeastern.com | that area is always exploding with growth because once a year hurricanes knock everything down =P | |
|
| 
davoice
join:2000-08-12
Saxapahaw, NC
 ·RoadRunner Cable
| Well... there's a bit of an untold story here.
Progress Energy used to be known as Carolina Power & Light (CP&L). CP&L owns WRAL-TV5, the local CBS affiliate, and used to own the network of what used to be one of the largest independent ISPs (InterPath) in the south. [Note they also own a whole bunch of other stuff too.]
InterPath was originally started to provide dial-up access to CP&L employees (sort of like IBM who, like InterPath, later opened its network up for public subscription and then after a while sold it for a tidy sum).
The network was expanded to the general public and they did quite well since they had easy access to facilities in every community that CP&L served. (Do you think the local Bell's could easily say no or try to foot drag against the people providing power to all their equipment?) In many communities in NC, InterPath was the *only* real ISP in town b/c NC has so many cities that aren't served by Ma Bell. On top of the telco world, CP&L already had a decent fiber plant installed between many places they serviced - used to monitor the electric grid. So they didn't have to completely rely on the telcos for everything.
A couple years ago CP&L sold off the internet access side of their operations to Earthlink - pre-dotbomb - and became US Internetworking, Inc. (Actually it was more of a leaseback since Earthlink basically bought the public customers and the network elements from InterPath but InterPath kept the CP&L employees as InterPath subscribers on the same network and still maintained control of many parts of the network.) US Internetworking became a software ASP focusing on IT Outsourcing and HR consulting.
None of the articles specifically mentions InterPath... but you can be sure that guys from the former InterPath division are leading this test. And since CP&L/Progress already has access to a very nice ISP grade IP infrastructure in many parts of North Carolina, it should be fairly trivial for them to hang new services out.
To sum up, this isn't CP&L's first foray into the ISP world. They're quite technically savvy as power companies go. (I lived in CP&L territory for over 20 years and still have quite a few family members and friends who work for them in various groups.)
You can rest assured they know exactly what they're getting into. They got out of the dial-up business - and did it before the tech bubble burst, which says a LOT about the savvy of their management - and are now entering a new market along w/ an existing business partner. I must say if I had to pick a national ISP partner for this sort of thing, Earthlink would be my personal choice. Since both companies already know how to work w/ each other, I'm expecting to see this project expand rapidly, provided the technology actually works.
- Davoice | |
|
| | tasmithe
join:2002-09-16
Graham, NC | Re: Yes we do.... Only problem is...they seem to have a slow download rate, relatively speaking. The article says 1.5 mpbs. Most Broadband ISPs are now at at least 3 mpbs. | |
|
tonekilla
Pipe Dreams
Premium
join:2003-07-26
Gunnison, MS
clubs: | good ANY new broadband attempts will atleast help fuel competition between the existing providers.
--
Gotta love SBC's 6000/608 plan for $44.99! | |
|
| 
SuperJudge
Magus
Premium
join:2002-11-14
Albany, GA
clubs:
| Re: good said by tonekilla  :
ANY new broadband attempts will atleast help fuel competition between the existing providers.
If'n they can make it work better than anybody else could, it would be pretty dag smooth.
--
Updated My Journal | |
|
rit56
join:2000-12-01
New York, NY | good deal any sort of upgrade is good even from an ISP that is now based, hires their tech people from and pays taxes in India. hell I'm thinking about claiming residency in Bombay so I can maximize my capital. | |
|
| 
BillTager
join:2000-09-20
Charlotte, NC
| Re: good deal said by rit56 :
any sort of upgrade is good even from an ISP that is now based, hires their tech people from and pays taxes in India. hell I'm thinking about claiming residency in Bombay so I can maximize my capital.
EarthLink is based out of Atlanta.
--
Hefner/Flint 2004 | |
|
| |
thankyoucomeagain
| Re: good deal earthlink has offshored most of their tech support calls to india. i for one cancled my earthlink accounts due to their lack of interest in preserving american jobs. they suck even worse than aol. | |
|
| | | 
AmeritecTech
Change we can believe in, 1922
Premium
join:2002-09-06
00000
| Re: good deal said by thankyoucomeagain:
earthlink has offshored most of their tech support calls to india. i for one cancled my earthlink accounts due to their lack of interest in preserving american jobs. they suck even worse than aol.
Better look for another provider. Comcast does as well.
»loudobbs.com/exportingamerica.html
--
Independent thinkers tend to ALWAYS have someone not agreeing with them. It's the non-thinkers that always come in legions." -John Callari | |
|
|
SumDumGuy
The Truth Is Out There. Got The Url??
Premium
join:2002-06-16
Auburn, CA
clubs:
| What I wanna know is... If they can make this work reliably on poles great, but what about all the areas with underground lines?
I think, please correct me if I'm wrong, but if they can get it to work reliably on poles the next step would be to test in some underground areas. wouldn't this also involve digging up the underground transformers and such to expand the spot they're in to contain the equipment? Although I would imagine they have those spots made large enough to allow for some expansion.
Either way, things are looking up, if they can make this work then maybe we can get some competition in the areas that companies like Comcast have a monopoly on broadband. Like mine.
Weeeee
--
This life is a test. It is only a test. Had this been an actual life, you would have received further instructions as to what to do and where to go. | |
|
| evoxfan
Waiting On Dsl Or Cable
join:2004-02-12
Daleville, AL | Re: What I wanna know is... plus, this gives people hope that doesn't have broadband available to them now because they live in the country.
--
WinXP_Home, 1.8GHz P4, 512DDR, DAK421_P11, DW4000 Two-Way, Proxy on, DrTCP. | |
|
| | 
rf_engineer
join:2003-08-04
USA
| Re: What I wanna know is... said by evoxfan :
plus, this gives people hope that doesn't have broadband available to them now because they live in the country.
It's really questionable whether it will. The business model for deployments in rural areas is tough. When you consider that BPL has less of a range than cable and DSL, costs to backhaul the network are significant. Also, repeaters cost anywhere from $1k to $5k. If you need a repeater every 100 yards or so, and there's only one subscriber every quarter mile, it's tough to have this system pay itself off anytime soon. It's very likely if you don't have cable passing your house, you'll never see BPL.
If BPL was a long haul technology such that it could transport data tens of miles (as many people erroneously perceive), it might have a chance in rural deployments, however it's far from being able to do that. Add to that the considerable interference concerns and the five or six years they've been trying to get this to work, BPL has a difficult future ahead. | |
|
tadmaz
join:2002-05-30
Mount Prospect, IL | 550 upload? 1.5 download is good, and 550 upload? That's nice. But how is latency? That's the next question. | |
|
| 
ctceo
Premium
join:2001-04-26
South Bend, IN
clubs:
| Re: 550 upload? Our tests concluded on average ~25-40ms Latency under typical (33% usage net browsing/2-way transfers/gaming)operating conditions. That probably changes however like any other latency test on other media types (DSL, Cable or such), with a slight variation in any number of things from atmospheric conditions to net congestion.
--
K8T Neo - 2GB DCDDR400 - AXP 64 3400+ - 3DLabs WC4 7210 - CL Audigy 2 PP - WD SATA150 36GB + Hitachi GST 250GB - Plextor PX708A + Sony CRX300A - Dual 535 Watt PSU's, Full Tower El Cheapo Case W/ Sound Padding & Thermal vents. | |
|
| | w2co
join:2003-07-16
Longmont, CO
| Re: 550 upload? Did your tests include possible ingress from licensed services using the same spectrum? It has been found that just a 4watt signal radiated on 14Mhz will wipe out all connections for blocks on end. How about when a 1Kw signal is transmitted intermittantly? How many blocks will that wipe out? Don't forget this is an unlicensed service and must accept any interference it receives from licensed services. Just the CBers many of whom transmit much more than 4watts, and many of which operate mobile will be enough to bring your error rate down to 10e-1 or worse. | |
|
| |
ctceo
Premium
join:2001-04-26
South Bend, IN
clubs:
edit:
February 20th, @06:13PM
| Was never a problem once line conditions were optimal. The testing included a lot of different UL (unlicensed) device tests from CB to High Voltage/Wattage/Amperage, things that would emit destructive wavelength distortions for miles, and no harm was noticed. The highest pollutant to the signal strength was (in order of worst to least):
1) Passing Trains
2) Bad environmental conditions Such as Rain + degraded insulators, containment boxes.
3) power fluctuations, on the level with "brownout activity"
4) electronic devices within the own home (i.e. TV, Monitor, Other modem devices, Fluorescent Bulbs, Microwaves)
5) Incorrectly grounded outlets, or static/DC power leaks within home wiring nodes.
(Edited for errors) | |
|
| | | N0JCG
join:2003-07-18
Minneapolis, MN | Re: 550 upload? So if I read your response correctly you did not test for the effects of a nearby, in band 5w to 1.5kw transmitter. None of the sources you listed would come even close to the RF field from a local transmitter. | |
|
| | | |
rf_engineer
join:2003-08-04
USA
| Re: 550 upload? said by N0JCG :
So if I read your response correctly you did not test for the effects of a nearby, in band 5w to 1.5kw transmitter. None of the sources you listed would come even close to the RF field from a local transmitter.
I'm curious about the passing trains one. For RF emissions, I would think VHF low band or high band, perhaps UHF would be the big ones, but not any high power levels. I'm not a train engineer (hence my username  , but there isn't any current flowing on the tracks, or is this an electric train, ctceo ?
And isn't high wattage = high amperage ? Also, a CB is one test, but there's a bunch of other RF tests I'd expect with varying frequencies, antennas, and power levels. The atmospheric conditions one is puzzling. There hasn't been any serious geomagnetic storms recently that I can think of. Can you elaborate, ctceo ? Thanks | |
|
| | | |
ctceo
Premium
join:2001-04-26
South Bend, IN
clubs:
edit:
February 24th, @04:37PM
| Those were included, but did not pose much if any interference, under optimal conditions.
-----
A standard passing train (non-electro) caused significant frequency distortions in most bands, but only when the power lines ran parallel to the tracks. Frequency distortions analyzed under filter passes were determined to have come from both the engine emissions due to proximity to parallel lines & the train physically moving on the tracks causing induced field spectrum reflection, similar to TV reception interference called "co-broadcasting" or "ghosting" signals. There was also some liability on the receiving modem end, for not possessing "immunity" to frequency deviations and interference which it should be designed to filter efficiently (poorly insulated devices were most prone). | |
|
Automate
join:2001-06-26
Atlanta, GA | Good idea for Earthlink The ILECs just about have the DSL market wrapped up and the cable companies aren't playing nicely. The power companies dont have the greatest data/internet expertise. This may be the best broadband type for Earthlink to be a dominant player. | |
|
matt380
Dangit, Bobby.
Premium
join:2002-06-12
Kennesaw, GA
clubs:
edit:
February 20th, @02:38AM
| here we go.. oh jeez. i work at the inbound customer service call center for Progress' billing dept. i can see where this is going for me..
"i caint git ma American On Line to wark, yall done need to git out heer raight now and fix it or i aint gunna use yall no more"
damn. | |
|
| ncone
join:2002-02-28
Wallace, NC
edit:
February 20th, @06:05AM
| Re: here we go.. Here is their online article
»www.progress-energy.com/aboutus/···?id=8362
At least they will not have a modem plugged into an electrical socket.
Wi/Fi from the powerline and back.
If anyone from Wake county is participating in the trials let us know how it worked for you. | |
|
hrobins
Premium
join:2000-10-15
Regina, SK
clubs:
| Earthlink and BPL I for one whouldn't get Earthlink for any service. As someone has posted before, Earthlink has send all techsupport overseas and Earthlink will also send tech support for BPL overseas as well.
Risking getting flamed here, I for one am not for BPL.
| |
|
indysz
Premium
join:2003-07-26
Valparaiso, IN | New competiton Maybe this will drive cable to upgrade faster, and DSL to be more competitive. I'd say give it 4-6 years before it starts deploying rapidly. It sounds very sweet! | |
|
| 
BIGMIKE
"I do not know with what weapons World W
Premium
join:2002-06-07
Westminster, CA | Re: New competiton that old news, Thay ben testing broadband over power lines for Savell yrs now there was a big performance problem on the power lines | |
|
|
rf_engineer
join:2003-08-04
USA
| said by indysz :
Maybe this will drive cable to upgrade faster, and DSL to be more competitive. I'd say give it 4-6 years before it starts deploying rapidly. It sounds very sweet!
Four to six years is an eternity in this business. In that time period bandwidth required for applications could easily exceed what BPL can provide. BPL is at best a bandaid solution, but its technical foundation is so problematic that is still hasn't gotten off the ground in the five or six years it has been in testing and development. | |
|
ParanoiaInc
join:2002-08-28
Tucker, GA
| Exactly what is the network topology for BPL? I am curious about BPL (broadband power line). At which points along the power delivery system is the broadband traveling? I think I understand that it reaches the end user by the household electrical panel, but is there a demarc inside the home where a piece of broadband equipment is connected? And on the other end, at which point does one's broadband connect come off the power distribution system?
Any relevant references would be great. | |
|
|
rf_engineer
join:2003-08-04
USA
| Re: Exactly what is the network topology for BPL? It travels on medium voltage lines outside of your house and using a device that bypasses the transformer, it comes in to your household wiring. The demarc or CPE is a box like a cable modem that plugs into the outlet and provides an ethernet connection.
One vendor, Amperion, uses 802.11 WiFi from the powerline into the house. They hang units that convert the BPL signal on the line to 802.11.
BPL has a very short distance as the power line radiates and severely attenuates the signal. Repeaters are needed every 200m or so to regenerate the signal.
BPL suffers from some problems. The frequencies it uses aren't carried well on the powerline. The radio frequencies it radiates will potentially interfere with a myriad of wireless services, so there's been a significant amount of uproar and opposition to deploying BPL. The US is actually a latecomer to the BPL scene as it's been tested in several countries. Most of the overseas trials have failed and in some places it has been banned.
The economics for rural deployments are rather questionable. There's also bandwidth scalability issues as different frequencies must be used in between repeater segments and there's only so much spectrum BPL can use. They must avoid interference with licensed wireless services which further limits the available bandwidth in a given area. Another big issue is that being an unlicensed service using radio frequencies, BPL systems must accept interference from licensed wireless services. This could stand to make BPL service unreliable or simply unavailable in many areas.
I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for BPL. The ultimate and inevitable solution is FTTH. | |
|
| | ParanoiaInc
join:2002-08-28
Tucker, GA | Re: Exactly what is the network topology for BPL? Dang, 200m regeneration needed? Screw that, hehe. | |
|
| | |
rf_engineer
join:2003-08-04
USA
| Re: Exactly what is the network topology for BPL? said by ParanoiaInc :
Dang, 200m regeneration needed? Screw that, hehe.
The distance will vary between vendors and systems, but it's a good ballpark number.
If BPL was everything it has been advertised as, it would have began deployment five years ago and probably would have outrun cable and DSL.
BTW, there is an interference free 802.11 based BPL being developed by a company called Corridor. The system will have much more bandwidth than this lower frequency BPL that is plagued with interference and other issues. For some reason this high speed BPL isn't taking off and the various utilities don't seem to be noticing that there is a technology that will leapfrog what they're testing.
Unfortunately the FCC hasn't grasped the technical realities surrounding BPL and they have praised it in their rhetoric. Meanwhile RBOCs continue to keep us in a broadband Depression. Instead of encouraging telecommunications providers to deploy real future proof solutions like fiber, the FCC encourages electric utility companies with little or no data experience to deploy Dark Ages technology. Doesn't make much sense. | |
|
|
|
|
Earthlink Eyes Powerline Broadband
blah