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Introduction To Power Line Communications (PLC)

Power line communications (PLC) enables data transfer through power lines using advanced modulation technology. PLC works by superimposing a high frequency signal between 1.6-30 MHz over the standard 50 Hz power signal. This secondary signal can be received by any PLC receiver connected to the same electrical network. While PLC has existed since the 1950s for narrowband applications, broadband PLC first emerged in the late 1990s. Currently, there is no consistent global regulation for PLC networks due to the dual nature of electrical grids also serving as telecommunications networks, though indoor networks are generally unregulated. The sole existing standard is Homeplug V1.0.1 for indoor use only.

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30 views

Introduction To Power Line Communications (PLC)

Power line communications (PLC) enables data transfer through power lines using advanced modulation technology. PLC works by superimposing a high frequency signal between 1.6-30 MHz over the standard 50 Hz power signal. This secondary signal can be received by any PLC receiver connected to the same electrical network. While PLC has existed since the 1950s for narrowband applications, broadband PLC first emerged in the late 1990s. Currently, there is no consistent global regulation for PLC networks due to the dual nature of electrical grids also serving as telecommunications networks, though indoor networks are generally unregulated. The sole existing standard is Homeplug V1.0.1 for indoor use only.

Uploaded by

Ias Aspirant Abhi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction to power line

communications (PLC)
Article Table of contents

Introduction to PLC
"Power Line Communications" basically means any technology that enables data transfer
at narrow or broad band speeds through power lines by using advanced modulation
technology.
Depending on the country, the institution and the company, power line communications
are grouped under several different key words:

PLC (Power Line Communications)


PLC (Power Line Communications)
PLT (Power Line Telecommunications)
PPC (Power Plus Communications)

Brief history of PLC


Power line communication has been around for quite some time, but has only been used
for narrow band tele-remote relay applications, public lighting and home automation.
Broadband over PLC only began at the end of the 1990s:

1950: at a frequency of 10Hz, 10kW of power, one-way: town lighting, relay


remote control.
Mid 1980s: beginning of research into the use of the electrical grid to support data
transmission, on bands between 5 - 500Khz, always in a one-way direction,
1997: first tests for bidirectional data signal transmission over the electrical
supply network and the beginning of research by Ascom (Switzerland) and
Norweb (U.K.)
2000: first tests carried out in France by EDF R&D and Ascom.

Operating principles
PLC Broadband technology is capable of transmitting data via the electrical supply
network, and therefore can extend an existing local area network or share an existing
Internet connection through electric plugs with the installation of specific units.
The principle of PLC consists in superimposing a high frequency signal (1.6 to 30 Mhz)
at low energy levels over the 50 Hz electrical signal. This second signal is transmitted via

the power infrastructure and can be received and decoded remotely. Thus the PLC signal
is received by any PLC receiver located on the same electrical network.
An integrated coupler at the PLC receiver entry points eliminates low frequency
components before the signal is treated.

Legal framework and regulation


All technology running on a defined frequency band must be part of a legal framework.
PLC networks are at the same time both electrical supply networks and
telecommunications networks, with the result that the authorities have encounter
difficulties defining their legal framework. Futhermore, no precise regulation exists for
PLC equipment and networks. There are currently works in place with the PLC Forum
and the ETSI, but results have not been published to date.
Therefore the installation of PLC networks is currently unregulated as regards the
installations located behind a private meter (called "Indoor" or "InHome"), they are
however subject to the condition that they do not cause negative side-effects, in which
case the equipment must be removed. Regarding external installations (called "Outdoor")
where the signal is transmitted at the HVA/LV transformer level to create local electrical
loops, testing permits are required from the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority so
long as the technology is still in development and standards have not been published.

Standardisation
Only one such standard currently exists, the American: Homeplug V1.0.1 standard. This
standard is only applicable for "indoor" installations and is not interoperable with current
"outdoor" applications. Other standards will emerge over the coming months or years.

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