One of the nation's largest broadband over powerline (BPL) deployments is in Manassas Virginia, where a company named Comtek provides the service over the municipally owned electric power grid. The company serves 900 home and business subscribers (12,500 homes have the option) on frequencies between 4 MHz and 30 MHz. Residential customers get at least 200-500kbps downstream for $28.95 a month.
The ARRL has long taken issue with the deployment because - according to the group - it's causing harmful interference to amateur & emergency radio, and does not comply with FCC Part 15 (pdf) rules. The ARRL states that field tests conducted by Manassas hams and the Department of the Navy found the system "was an interference generator at distances of hundreds of feet from the modems on overhead power lines."
Comtek recently got tired of the debate and went on the offensive, claiming such interference complaints had been resolved, and that ham groups like the ARRL were engaged in a "campaign to turn back the clock on broadband in the United States."
"It's unfortunate for ComTek that in their hurry they went with an early BPL design that causes problems." retorted ARRL spokesman Alan Pitt at the time. "As a matter of fact, ham radio people are often the first to adopt new technology and enjoy playing with it," says Pitts. "We just don't like interference. We have no problem with Current and Motorola."
The spat doesn't seem to be abating as this local Virginia WVEC article explores.
"They have gone to what any fair person would say is incredible lengths to address those concerns," says COMTek spokesman Scott Stapf, who insists the complaints are
"a deliberate campaign on the part of the ARRL to make an example of COMTek," and
"a reflection of their generally anti-BPL philosophy."
