Two Enter Internet Battle

Consumers understand that when there is more competition in a market, there are lower prices. This is especially true in the computer industry where it is reported that 68% of households have a computer. According to the Computer Industry Almanac, the worldwide number of Internet users will exceed 1 billion this year with the United States leading with over 185 million users. The number of users will continue to increase as well as competitors, forcing companies to offer faster connections at a cheaper price. Two technologies that will lend a hand in allowing new players into the Broadband market are BPL and WIMAX.

Broadband Over Power Lines, BPL

BPL is a technology that allows Internet data to be transmitted over utility power lines and is also referred to as Power-line Communications or PLC. The technology works by modulating high-frequency radio waves with the digital signals from the Internet. These radio waves are fed into the utility grid at specific points, then travel along the wires and pass through the utility transformers into homes and businesses. One main concern by officials in the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), is that BPL will interfere with radio systems including fire, police, short-wave and land mobile. There are other groups who are taking the initiative in realizing this potential including the IEEE which has begun to develop IEEE P1675, "Standard for Broadband over Power Line Hardware."

This technology has gained national attention with reports by the Wall Street Journal that industry powerhouses Google and Goldman Sachs have invested nearly $100 million into Current Communications Group, a company that provides high-speed Internet access over electrical power lines. According to Reuters, CCG will use the financing to deploy voice, video and data services in domestic and global markets. IBM is also currently researching the use of electrical power lines to provide internet access by opening a BPL center in Houston with CenterPoint Energy although IBM has declined to put a dollar value on the amount invested.

Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, WIMAX

WiMAX, also known as IEEE 802.16, is a standards-based wireless technology that provides broadband connections over long distances and is intended for wireless "metropolitan area networks". It can be used for wireless networking in much the same way WiFi is used today while also allowing for more efficient bandwidth use and interference avoidance. WiMAX has a broadband wireless access range of 30 miles compared to only 100 ? 300 feet for a WiFi wireless local area network.

WiMAX can be used for a number of applications, including "last mile" broadband connections, hotspots, and high-speed connectivity for businesses. Alvarion, a global organization headquartered in Israel that supplies integrated Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) solutions, has announced it will supply satellite provider DirecTV Group Inc. with equipment that uses WIMAX technology in order to enhance customer upstream bandwidth requirements. By implementing "last mile" broadband connections, DirecTV would then be able to supply faster connections to rural areas where it would cost millions to lay down the cable lines necessary for high speed. Another application under consideration is gaming. Microsoft is looking to make WiMax a standard feature in its Xbox 360. This would allow gamers with similar equipment to interact with other players without any internet access. All the funcionality of WiFi with improved range and reduced network latency makes WiMAX a very attractive alternative.

James Junior is a freelance writer and web programmer for

In The News:

RedOrbit
FCC chairman, Netflix at odds over broadband data caps
CBS News
Broadband providers have been at odds with customers and Internet companies over how to set a fair pricing plan that can address increasing network congestion. Netflix chief executive officer Reed Hastings is among the naysayers of a tiered pricing ...
FCC Chair Approves Tiered Pricing For BroadbandRedOrbit
FCC chairman supports broadband data caps amid Netflix protestsWashington Post (blog)
FCC Chairman Supports Usage-Based Broadband PricingWebProNews
Huffington Post
all 48 news articles »

PR Web
Partnership to Bring Ultrahigh-Speed Internet to Six Communities
New York Times
He noted that the United States was falling behind other nations that have moved aggressively to build high-speed Internet infrastructures. It ranked 13th in average connection speed in a survey last year by the network service provider Akamai; ...
Partnership plans ultrahigh-speed Internet networksThe Hill (blog)
Ohio start-up to bring gigabit broadband to six US communitiesLos Angeles Times

all 15 news articles »

Cuba High-Speed Internet: Mystery Shrouds Fate Of Internet Cable
Huffington Post
While some hold out hope that faster Internet has merely been delayed, others interpret the government's long silence as a sign Cuba's broadband dreams will be the latest grand pronouncement to end in disappointment. "I have no expectations for the ...

and more »

State seeks to push broadband into all rural areas
Brattleboro Reformer
By MIKE FAHER / Reformer Staff PUTNEY - With conventional high-speed Internet access unavailable, Sally Pennington pays a premium to create a "mobile hotspot" at her Putney home. But it's not an ideal setup, and limitations on speed and data make using ...

and more »

High-flying Pilot pushes India towards internet revolution
Great Lakes Advocate
With 105 million internet users already, India is hoping to replicate with wireless broadband what the mobile phone did with telephone availability for its 1.1 billion people. Delhi's Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology, ...

and more »

RADWIN Introduces Ground-breaking Mobility Solution That Boosts Broadband ...
MarketWatch (press release)
The RADWIN 5000 Mobility solution delivers high capacity of 100 Mbps at speeds of up to 200 Km/h for video and Internet connectivity. The solution comes with powerful base stations that enable connectivity to ruggedized mobile units that can be mounted ...

and more »

The Guardian
Broadband service to be withdrawn from Cumbrian communities
The Guardian
The race to connect every British home to the internet has gone into reverse in Cumbria, where two communities will lose their broadband connection at the end of June. The Duddon Valley, a beauty spot so admired by Wordsworth he dedicated 34 sonnets to ...

MyBroadband
Yahclick affordable satellite broadband: pricing and other details
MyBroadband
MyBroadband's Staff Writer is directly plugged into the South African Internet backbone, and spits out press releases and other news as he receives it. ... Vox Telecom has launched its satellite broadband service aimed at providing fast, reliable and ...
Vox lifts lid on YahClick satellite broadbandTechCentral

all 3 news articles »

CIO
AT&T Expands Mobile Internet Coverage In South Haven And Saugatuck
MarketWatch (press release)
With mobile Internet speeds, AT&T customers can surf the Web, download files faster, and enjoy the very latest interactive mobile applications. "Improved and expanded mobile broadband access from South Haven to Saugatuck will help connect job makers ...
nuvoTV and AT&T U-verse Embark on Groundbreaking Interactive Promotion for ...Broadcast Newsroom

all 44 news articles »

AT&T Continues To Focus On New York City Wireless Experience
MarketWatch (press release)
With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile broadband and emerging 4G ...

and more »

Google News

Two Enter Internet Battle

Broadband Internet