The Federal Communications Commission is gathering comments about power line communications (ENR 12/9/2002, p. 26), an emerging technology which uses electric power distribution circuits to convey broadband data for Internet communications.

The FCC is studying electromagnetic radiation issues that may be associated with PLC technology to determine whether regulation is called for.

Piggy-backing data on power lines is a something utilities have done with internal control systems for decades, but they have only recently begun field trials of consumer-oriented systems that ultimately could turn every wall outlet into a broadband port. Data is extracted by passing the current thorough a modem at each connected computer.

The commission, which calls the technology "Broadband over Power Line (BPL)," has been collecting comments since late April. They can be accessed at http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/comsrch_v2.cgi by typing "03-104" in the "Proceeding" box at the top of the page.

More than 2,100 comments had been received as of July 29. The site is open for replies to comments already filed until August 6.

Supporters include vendors promoting the technology and electric utilities considering deployment. Principal opponents are amateur radio associations and their members who fear interference from radio frequency emissions from power lines will disrupt their activities.