Broadband Communication over Power Lines: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

Broadband over Power Line (BPL) Technology offers high speed affordable, robust and reliable voice and broadband communication services to all homes connected to the power lines. This makes use of the electrical lines for transmission of data up to the last mile and there is no need of separate copper cables, short haul satellite systems, optical fibre cable and Wi-Max, Wi-Fi etc. Hence, it is suitable for deployment in rural areas for smart grid communication. Now, in view of digital global economy, digital India Mission of Government of India and emerging business opportunities, particularly in rural areas have increased the thrust for research in power-line communication, worldwide.
The objective of this paper is to present a review of Broadband Power Line Communication in term of working, features, advantages, limitations, deployment, challenges and emerging opportunities.