Yes I am well aware of the development of "Power Line Telecoms" being bulldozed a few years ago amongst scorn by many IEE and Radio Society members. Please note the definition of it "working" is not only to convey a signal from A to B, but to do so without causing undue interference.
I hope no-one's operating radio-control equipment near to any such schemes:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_line_communication
*Potential for Interference*
Some groups oppose the proliferation of this technology, mostly due to its potential to interfere with radio transmissions. As power lines are typically untwisted and unshielded, they are essentially large antennas, and will broadcast large amounts of radio energy (see the American Radio Relay League's article). Because of their lack of shielding, the BPL systems are also at risk of being interfered with by outside radio signals.
Recently, power and telecommunications companies have started tests of the BPL technology, over the protests of the radio groups. After claims of interference by these groups, many of the trials were ended early and proclaimed successes, though the ARRL and other groups claimed otherwise. Some of the providers conducting those trials have now begun commercial roll-outs in limited neighborhoods in selected cities, with some level of user acceptance. There have been many documented cases of interference reported to the FCC by Amateur Radio users. A video clearly showing the interference at a site at Briarcliff Manor, NY is available on the ARRL website. Because of these continued problems, Amateur Radio operators and others filed a petition for reconsideration with the FCC in February 2005. Austria, Australia, New Zealand and other locations have also experienced BPL's spectrum pollution and raised concerns within their governing bodies. In the UK, the BBC has published the results of a number of tests to detect interference from BPL installations. They have also made a video (Real Media format), showing broadcast of data and interference from in-home BPL devices.
New FCC rules require BPL systems to be capable of remotely notching out frequencies on which interference occurs, and of shutting down remotely if necessary to resolve the interference. BPL systems operating within FCC Part 15 emissions limits may still interfere with wireless radio communications and are required to resolve interference problems. A few early trials have been shut down, though whether it was in response to complaints is debatable.
Recently, Motorola has announced a new Low Voltage Access BPL system that has a reduced potential for interference over the Amperion Inc. and Current Technologies LLC systems. The American Radio Relay League was invited by Motorola to participate with these tests, and even installed the Motorola system at their headquarters. Preliminary results were very positive with regard to interference.
*FCC*
On October 14, 2004, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission adopted rules to facilitate the deployment of "Access BPL" -- i.e., use of BPL to deliver broadband service to homes and businesses. The technical rules are more liberal than those advanced by ARRL and other spectrum users, but include provisions that require BPL providers to investigate and correct any interference they cause. These rules may be subject to future litigation.
Although this sounds interesting - use of powerline as a "waveguide".....
Much higher speed transmissions using microwave frequencies transmitted via a newly discovered surface wave propagation mechanism have been demonstrated using only a single power line conductor. These systems have shown the potential for symmetric and full duplex communication in excess of 1 Gbit/s in each direction. Multiple WiFi channels as well as simultaneous analog television in the 2.4 and 5.3 GHz unlicensed bands have been demonstrated operating over medium voltage lines.
Another article:
http://www.computeractive.co.uk/persona ... coms-mains
Personally I prefer the use of microwave equipment for "last-mile broadband" such as that advocated here:
http://www.wlan.org.uk/lets_set_up_a_community_wlan.doc
I would not be so confident about predicting the future.
Now that seems like a joke, but If they can travel those distances on one tank of (insert alien fuel) they must be able to help us! That sounds crazy but I firmly believe in aliens and other paranormal events. All those stars and galaxies, there is someone out there to save us. (If they want to) Maybe the aliens believe in whole planetary euthanasia.
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