Broadband to the People
By JR Minkel
On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
The secret to universal broadband Internet access could be right above your head. Power lines can carry broadband in the form of high-frequency electrical signals, and some European and U.S. utilities are already testing such systems. The problem is that forks in the electrical grid reflect broadband signals and thereby degrade transmission. Pennsylvania State University researchers simulated what would happen if lines were synched up with transformers and other electrical loads to minimize reflection. They found that signals should flow fast enough to give homes data-transfer rates of hundreds of megabits per second, tens of times faster than DSL or cable, they told the IEEE Consumer Communications & Networking Conference on January 5. The cost-effectiveness of broadband power lines remains to be seen, says lead researcher Mohsen Kavehrad, as it would interfere with some radio signals.
It’s Time to Stand Up for Science
If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.
I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.
If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.
In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.
There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.
