Europe - Broadband - Broadband over Power Line (BPL)

Synopsis

Europe has an enormous potential market for BPL, with more than 200 million homes and businesses connected directly to utility networks. There are a number of deployments in several European countries, yet developments in both the cable and DSL sectors have weakened the business case for BPL, while technical difficulties still hamper large-scale. This report examines the business models for BPL in Europe in 2006, and provides an analysis of the technology’s potential following the EC’s moves towards lifting restrictive regulatory barriers, and the formalisation of standards earlier in the year. The report also reviews ongoing BPL trials and analyses existing deployments.

Table of Contents

• 1. Synopsis
  
• 2. Broadband over PowerLine (BPL)
  
  • 2.1 Overview
    
  • 2.2 European regulatory environment
    
    • 2.2.1 EC recommendations – April 2005
      
    • 2.2.2 European BPL standards approved
      
  • 2.3 European Commission boost for BPL - 2007
    
  • 2.4 BPL SWOT analysis
    
    • 2.4.1 Strengths
      
    • 2.4.2 Weaknesses
      
    • 2.4.3 Opportunities
      
    • 2.4.4 Threats
      
  • 2.5 BPL obstacles
    
    • 2.5.1 Technical issues
      
  • 2.6 Business models
    
  • 2.7 Commercial incentives for BPL
    
    • 2.7.1 European BPL Statistics – 2004, 2005
      
  • 2.8 European research initiatives
    
    • 2.8.1 PALAS
      
    • 2.8.2 OPERA
      
  • 2.9 BPL consortia
    
    • 2.9.1 ONELINE/Enikia
      
    • 2.9.2 RWE/Ascom/Keyin
      
    • 2.9.3 Siemens/EnBW/Tesion
      
  • 2.10 BBPL trials and deployments in Europe
    
    • 2.10.1 Main European deployments
      
    • 2.10.2 Austria
      
    • 2.10.3 Ireland
      
    • 2.10.4 Finland
      
    • 2.10.5 France
      
    • 2.10.6 Iceland
      
    • 2.10.7 Denmark
      
    • 2.10.8 Germany
      
    • 2.10.9 Italy
      
    • 2.10.10 UK
      
    • 2.10.11 Netherlands
      
    • 2.10.12 Norway
      
    • 2.10.13 Spain
      
    • 2.10.14 Sweden
      
• 3. Related reports
  

• Exhibit 1 - Past and current utilities pursuing BPL