Considering the ubiquity of the electrical power grid, the financial wherewithal of energy companies to make power line communications reality, the dearth of dollars at the telcos for new network buildouts and the FCC's February ruling phasing out RBOC line-sharing requirements, PLC would seem to be a pretty attractive prospect for companies competing with local incumbents for broadband access.
So, what, if anything, are CLECs, ISPs and other competitive carriers doing to promote PLC?
Leif Ericson, business development manager at Southern Telecom Inc., says AT&T Corp. has been "very involved in the PLC associations". AT&T Chairman and CEO Dave Dorman has spoken publicly about the potential of PLC as a local loop alternative. An AT&T spokesman declined to elaborate on the company's specific activities related to PLC.
ISP EarthLink Inc. has been very involved in the beta tests of PLC, offering Internet connectivity and providing input, adds Ericson.
Philip Hunt, chairman and CEO of PLC vendor Amperion Inc., says com-munications service providers have played an important role in PLC. Amperion encourages PLC through its "partnership value chain." Through the value chain, Amperion invites service providers to get involved in the planning and evaluation of PLC efforts and to help with the cost and provisioning of backhaul services for PLC tests.
Jeff A. Norman, vice president of sales at PLC vendor Main.net Communications Ltd., has a different take on CLEC involvement in PLC. The CLECs for the most part have abstained from playing an active role in the development of PLC, says Norman.
"CLECs pay us lip service, but they're so accosted in their own dilemma right now, it's hard to see it," says Norman. He suggests CLECs interested in promoting PLC should seek partnerships with utilities.
