Because of interference concerns and other limitations, broadband over powerline (BPL) all but died last year as a serious player in the broadband industry, with only five thousand or so users connected with the technology despite nearly a decade of hype from BPL vendors. Still, IBM recently decided to partner with a small newcomer called International Broadband Electric Communications (IBEC) to explore using BPL in rural markets, and says they could reach 200,000 customers. The $9.6 million partnership involves deploying BPL networks through seven electric cooperatives in Virginia, Michigan, Alabama and Indiana -- with IBEC acting as the ISP. Some of the deployments are thanks to rural grants provided by the Department of Agriculture, so IBM has been making the rounds of late to suggest they should be one of the prime beneficiaries of any new funds.