§ Lord Rixasked Her Majesty's Government:
What plans they have to ensure that the use of the electricity mains to distribute Internet data (power line telecommunications) through the use of radio frequencies in the short wave band does not cause interference to legitimate users of the short wave spectrum, affect the Ministry of Defence, international broadcasting authorities, radio amateur and civil and military aviation users. [HL3144]
§ Lord Sainsbury of TurvillePower line technology is an innovative use of mains electrical wiring to bring information age services to consumers. The exploitation of this technology could make a significant contribution to building the knowledge driven economy as it uses infrastructure that is ubiquitous and already in place. On the other hand, it could give rise to interference to radio services.
The Radiocommunications Agency of the Department of Trade and Industry, which is responsible for managing most non-military radio spectrum in the UK, is urgently studying the propensity of power line technology to cause radio interference, including to essential services, international broadcasting and radio amateurs. Decisions will be taken in the light of that work on what steps are necessary in order to prevent undue interference. These could include using powers 23WA available under Section 10 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949.
§ Lord Rixasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether power line telecommunications technology will result in the electricity mains, house wiring and street furniture such as lamp posts acting as antennae, transmitting Internet data as wideband noise across the short wave bands. [HL3145]
§ Lord Sainsbury of TurvillePower line technology has the potential to cause signals to be radiated from mains electrical wiring in the home and outside, although it is not yet determined whether the emissions would be sufficiently powerful to cause serious interference to radio services.
§ Lord Rixasked Her Majesty's Government:
With whom they have consulted on power line telecommunications; and whether agreement has been reached. [HL3146]
§ Lord Sainsbury of TurvilleThe Radio-communications Agency has established a working group to evaluate the technical issues relating to power line. The agency has consulted widely, including government departments and other users of frequencies that may be affected, such as the Civil Aviation Authority, the armed forces, the BBC and the Radio Society of Great Britain, as well as communications operators and manufacturers involved24WA in power line technology and similar systems. Work is continuing and agreement has not yet been reached.
§ Lord Rixasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether power line telecommunications will run contrary to the principles of electromagnetic compatibility developed over the last 50 years to control levels of interference to the radio spectrum from one user to another. [HL3147]
§ Lord Sainsbury of TurvillePrinciples of electromagnetic compatibility of any new technology are extremely important if maximum benefit is to be gained from the radio spectrum. Power line raises novel and complex technical issues that are being carefully and intensively researched. Until this work is complete, it would be premature to comment on the electromagnetic compatibility of power line.
§ Lord Rixasked Her Majesty's Government:
How, when controlling power line telecommunications, they will ensure that radio frequencies already used for national and international communication and of life operations will not be affected. [HL3148]
§ Lord Sainsbury of TurvilleThe Radio-communications Agency is currently assessing as matter of urgency the potential of the innovative power line technology to interfere with radiocommunications. It has established a working group to evaluate the issues and is conducting a full technical investigation, including computer modelling.