Tom,
But what if the utility's main reason for building out BPL is for energy
applications instead of internet? Such as DA, AMR, outage reporting,
energy load control, time-period rate-discounting, and so on.
Then the initial capital costs are going to be paid for by the
rate-payers for this "energy network" not by any internet users. If you
then add in the additional revenue from leasing the bandwidth to an ISP
or being an ISP directly, the bottom line gets even better! It's just
icing on the cake. Add to this the fact that the Fed is going to
require utilities provide rate discounting based on load shifting, then
a cheap-to-install, wholly-owned data network that reaches every
electric customer, even those without any data connection, and BPL is
very attractive and viable.
Of course they don't really need Megabit broadband bandwidth to do all
that energy-related stuff, but how else are they really going to pay for
the "energy network" that reaches every customer? And how else will
they be able to displace hundreds of thousands of licensees on whatever
spectrum they use if they don't use the internet crowbar to get them out
of the way of progress?
I think every reasonable argument needs to be used especially when
trying to get the attention of the media. I doubt they'd believe or
even listen to a bunch of hams if we start talking about the bad
economics, and probably not even care about the lack of security or
unreliability. That would better come from the ARRL, and they don't
even want to go there either. If BPL didn't cause interference, hams
would probably support it instead of oppose it.
73, de ed -K0iL
BTW: Loved the "failed water rescue" reference! Made me think just a
second. ;-)
-----Original Message-----
From: rfi-bounces@contesting.com
Probably the very best strategy would be to do a cost
analysis of BPL compared to wireless. What about
reliability? BPL gear would be knocked down every time a
lightning bolt flashes. I know my ISDN lines drop when
storms are miles away.
Hams? Who cares? Certainly not anyone in a political office
today. Not the guy who sent us greetings for field day right
on down to Senators who failed water rescue.
Now when you start showing it is unreliable, not secure, or
a bad investment...that would mean something.
IMO showing or telling the public it bothers Hams is a waste
of time. It would have been a good strategy if this was
1940, but it's the wrong strategy today.
73, Tom W8JI
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