Electrical Power Companies have been using overhead power transmission lines for transmitting data for many years now. However, it was in October 2004 that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved rules for Broadband over Power Line (BPL) technology.

Electrical power companies provide BPL by making use of power grid for transmitting data -by superimposing a (high frequency) carrier signal -over the traditional Alternating Current frequencies (60Hz or 50Hz depending on what the power companies are using in your part of the world) that are used for bringing electricity to your location.

Is Broadband over Power Line (BPL) a New Development?: Not really. Broadband Over Power Line (BOPL) or simply Broadband Power Line BPL is not a new phenomenon or a new breakthrough in technology -it has been one of the most reliable, and cost effective methods of communication used by power station control room personnel for transmitting voice and data between power generating stations, and various substations that are often located in remote/unpopulated areas.

Wireless broadband has been traditionally used for backhauling massive amounts of data over dedicated wireless links, with wireless paths often spanning over tens (if not hundreds) of miles.

Broadband has alson been extensively used not only to provide large data pipes, but also as a fail-over backup (for their primary data pipes) by many medium to large-scale businesses.

Whereas setting up wired broadband links for providing high-bandwidth connectivity between corporate buildings, university campuses, and business locations has historically been an expensive option; wireless broadband is now being increasingly considered as one of the most cost-effective ways (no need to dig up trenches, run bundles of wires underground, right of way issues, etc.) to ensuring uninterrupted network connectivity.