Google invests in electric broadband

[Ne007]

Google has joined a gaggle of other companies to invest in a US broadband company that provides high speed net services over electricity cables.

Exactly how much search engine outfit Google, investment bank Goldman Sachs and comms outfit The Hearst Corporation have ploughed into Current Communications has not been revealed.

However, the dosh will be used to invest in its Broadband over Power Line (BPL) service, which provides high speed net access over power cables.

"These investments provide us with both capital and operating assistance as we continue to roll out Broadband-over-Power Line services to provide voice, video and data services," said William Berkman, Chairman of CURRENT Communications Group.

"With roughly two-thirds of the nation still without broadband and many utilities looking for means to upgrade their distribution networks, the acceleration of CURRENT's build-out is a clear win-win for consumers."

Maryland-based Current is, erm, currently wiring up homes in Cincinnati to take its broadband service as part of a joint venture with Cinergy Corp. ®

Read the complete article (http://www.zeropaid.com/news/5540/Google+invests+in+electric+broadband/)

[crash4419]

how fast is thing broundband over electric lines?

isnt it slloooowww?

and dusent it interfeer with radio waves of some sort uhhhh the emergency radio orrr something thats doesent want this thing ti happen?

[ivand67]

I don't know, but I'm waiting for Verizon Fios to hit my area. Fiber optics are kewl. I mean, the maximum will be a whopping 30 Mbit/sec. That's 3.75 MB/sec! ;)

[Signa]

i talked to some one who had fiber ops and it was basically as fast to him as having the internet on his pc. i doubt a 3MB/s is exactly like haveing the entire internet stored localy, but i personally coudlnt ask for more.

[orrefan]

I got fiber and ... yeah, its FAST. I got it yesterday actually. It's 100 mbit full duplex (100 up and down) to everyone within my city with fiber ops, and 10 mbit to everyone else. We have a local DC hubb where everyone is running at 100 mbit :D:D:D

back to topic....
I wonder if the speed is dependent on how much voltage you have. In that case USA will not get as fast as we in... at least sweden where we have 250 volts in our outputs. (USA have 110 volt, right?)

[DigitalJunkie]

Fiber uses spectrums of light, voltage don't have much bearing on it!

[rastabob2]

Stop downloading that porn son! The lights are flickering again!

[maquereautin]

as long as its fast enough to play games online i dont care how slow it is. 512Kbps would be just peachy for me. i have 26.4kbps. i cant get broadband where i live. i live a mile to far. bring it on power companies!!!!!!

[d3ft0n3s]

it interfiers with HAM radio. and its just as fast as cable modems.

basicly your power supply will be your network card....weird.

[meyou123]

it interfiers with HAM radio. and its just as fast as cable modems.

basicly your power supply will be your network card....weird.


Yeah, it is supposed to interfere with ham radio signals. There was a big debate on another forum I visited (I think it was Broadband reports)...the argument was over the ham radio operators arguing that they had the licensing first so why should they not have the right to keep their signal and the consumers arguing that they were more in number and wanted broadband! I don't know who will win, but I am pretty sure it will probably end up in court. To me, I hope the consumers get it, because I think everyone should be able to have broadband, even if they live outside a big city. And yes, it is supposed to be as fast as cable.

[rainbowdemon]

it interfiers with HAM radio. and its just as fast as cable modems.

basicly your power supply will be your network card....weird.

I have 3 meg dsl now.That's comparable to cable. How would this be better? Or would it be better at all?

[meyou123]

I have 3 meg dsl now.That's comparable to cable. How would this be better? Or would it be better at all?


It is not meant as a replacement for regular broadband services...at least they are not puishing it that way. It is meant for people in rural areas that cannot get broadband otherwise. At least that is the main selling point they make.

[Auggie2k]

Broadband through electic cables? Very clever... I wonder how fast they would be?

[meyou123]

Broadband through electic cables? Very clever... I wonder how fast they would be?


It's speed is supposed to equal that of cable broadband. At least, that is what it is rumored to be, anyway.

[Antimatter]

Packard bell started that off. I read that speeds would be possible up to 8Mb. Look forward to it. Make home networking a whole lot easier.

[Kyle06]

Packard bell started that off. I read that speeds would be possible up to 8Mb. Look forward to it. Make home networking a whole lot easier.

Yea that would make home networks no more running new cables :D

just plug it in.......... A lazy man's lan dream

[Smoovious]

back to topic....
I wonder if the speed is dependent on how much voltage you have. In that case USA will not get as fast as we in... at least sweden where we have 250 volts in our outputs. (USA have 110 volt, right?)

I think speed would be more dependent on the current in the lines, not the voltage.

In the USA, standard current at the outlet is 110... with 220 outlets for specific things, like electric stoves.

But, while here in the States, we use AC current, you Europeans use DC current.

When it comes to data transmission over AC, the current isn't exactly clean to begin with, with the polarity constantly changing, while with DC, it is constant.

DC, would be able to allow higher transmission speeds cuz you don't end up having all of those collisions with the polarity switch all the time.

It seems like IP over power lines would be feasable for a limited use type of thing, but I doubt it would work well widespread. At some point, as more and more data is carried over the current, it'll get noisier and noisier, and the power being supplied will get dirtier and dirtier.

My 2-cents.

-- Smoovious

[Smoovious]

Yeah, it is supposed to interfere with ham radio signals. There was a big debate on another forum I visited (I think it was Broadband reports)...the argument was over the ham radio operators arguing that they had the licensing first so why should they not have the right to keep their signal and the consumers arguing that they were more in number and wanted broadband! I don't know who will win, but I am pretty sure it will probably end up in court. To me, I hope the consumers get it, because I think everyone should be able to have broadband, even if they live outside a big city. And yes, it is supposed to be as fast as cable.

So, if I'm understanding your position correctly... you're in favor of the majority trampling over the rights of the minority?

-- Smoovious

[Domethius]

Just so everyone knows, my good friend has this service and it is just as fast as any cable modem that we have in Cincinnati. There are offering 3 basic plans, each one faster and the last one (which is 50) is a static IP. There are a couple of bugs with it though, if you have an older house they will have to come out and install something on you transformer to beef the signal up so that it can handle the extra signals. If you need to set up any port fowarding you have to call them to do that, basically the modem that they give you (that you plug into the wall) is like their router and they have to configure it for you, my buddy tried to get around this and just had to get his electric modem replaced.

There are some bonuses though, they have no limit on your upload speed (at least not yet) so you can upload files just as fast as you can download them. Also you can plug it in anywhere that you want.

Basically my buddy loves the no upload limit (and so do I) but he hates having to call them everytime he wants to foward a port but that is what he has to live with for now. I personally think that within 10 years this will be the way to go, easier, no new wiring, just as fast, and no upload limits.

By the way, no your electric bill does not go up, it is not using it in that way.

[TiaKo]

But, while here in the States, we use AC current, you Europeans use DC current.

No we don't, we have AC at the socket...because that's how power stations generate electricity.

This is an interesting concept, I really donh't understand how it would work though. Does anyone know if this is offered in the UK out of interest, not that it really matters as I have BB.

[Auggie2k]

But, while here in the States, we use AC current, you Europeans use DC current.What are you talking about? Us europeans don't use DC current, we use either 230, 240 or 250V AC. Most european countries only have two pin plugs but we have the earth included here. In the states, 110V is used. DC is current from batteries.

[Smoovious]

My bad then... my thinking you folks were using DC, must have been based on out-dated info...

Aside from that tho, knew you folks used a different standard than we did.

Thanks for the clarification. :)

[black_magiic]

I hope its fast and gets to me. Fiber would be cool here to. But for now Im stuck with 1.5Mbps ADSL

[Christoph]

Fiber Glas is a lot better and not to forget ADSL2+