[RFI] BPL news today's WSJ

[Rob Atkinson, K5UJ]

Excerpts and paraphrased portions:
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Today's Wall St. Jour. (Friday 12/19) reports on p. B1 that Current 
Communications Group and TXU Electric plan to offer BPL to more than 2 
million customers in Texas.  It is reported that this is the biggest single 
deployment of BPL in the U.S.   The schedule calls for the rollout before 
the end of 2006.   Current is already operating BPL in the Dallas area and 
elsewhere in TX.  The new service area will be in North Texas.   Under the 
terms of the agreement, TXU the biggest utility company in Tex., will sign a 
10 year contract for $150 million to use Current's technology which will 
also provide instant alerts about outages, and information about its 
electrical system.  It is thought that the technology would also eventually 
read meters and remotely turn on or shut off power, eliminating utility 
jobs.   TXU has been engaged in a wide-ranging effort to build new 
businesses and cut costs and has been one of the utility sector's top stock 
performers for the past 2 years.

Current, is a private family controlled company.  It plans to raise $100 
million from its investors, which include Google.

BPL had technical difficulties, and ham radio operators have objected to 
spectrum interference, but Current says its service doesn't interfere with 
ham radio.

The service is being explored through pilot projects, such as one with a 
customer owned utility in Manassas Va.

Top officials at the FCC have expressed support for BPL because they could 
expand the availability of high speed internet access to rural communities.

In suburban Washington D.C., Current has set up a home to conduct 
demonstrations of its power-line broadband.  Among the 5000 people who have 
visited, are FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, former FCC Chairman Michael Powell, 
Richard Russell, technology advisor at the White House, and members of 
congress.

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Rob / k5uj

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