Broadband communications over a rural power distribution circuit

Abstract

Feasibility for broadband communication over high-voltage power distribution lines is shown through study of signal to noise ratio and calculation of channel capacity for a typical rural circuit. RF Powerline Carrier (RF PLC) communication consisting of 2-way TCP/IP data at 2 Mbps is described. This is especially important for rural communities world wide, since RF PLC may furnish bidirectional broadband Internet access service where none is currently available.