Rural India Gains Internet Via Power Lines

July 9, 2016

Corinex Communications Corp., provider of Powerline and Coaxial networking products, have announced that they will lead a project to provide Internet access to rural villages in India through Broadband over Powerline (BPL) technology.

Power line communication (PLC), also known as power line carrier, mains communication, power line telecom (PLT), or power line networking (PLN), is a system for carrying data on a conductor also used for electric power transmission.

Broadband over Power Lines (BPL) uses PLC by sending and receiving radio signals over power lines to provide access to the Internet.

The technology will connect adjoining villages in India to the Internet using existing powerlines to transfer broadband Internet access.

Corinex’s BPL technology is one of the recipients of joint science and technology research awards and development initiatives between India and Canada, valued at more than $17 million.

Electrical power is transmitted over high voltage transmission lines, distributed over medium voltage, and used inside buildings at lower voltages.

Powerline communications can be applied at each stage.

Most PLC technologies limit themselves to one set of wires (for example, premises wiring), but some can cross between two levels (for example, both the distribution network and premises wiring).

The objective of this research and development project is to develop BPL technology to suit Indian conditions so the technology can be later deployed for large scale use.

The technology will deliver multi-fold benefits to India when it connects villages throughout the country to the Internet.

Corinex’s BPL technology will provide access to multiple forms of communication including the World Wide Web and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

BPL may offer benefits over regular cable or DSL connections: the extensive infrastructure already available appears to allow people in remote locations to access the Internet with relatively little equipment investment by the utility.

Vancouver-based Corinex will be working with the Indian Institute of Information Technology (Allahabad) in partnership with the Maple Leaf India Pvt. Limited in New Delhi, India.

Indian union minister of science, technology and earth sciences, Kapil Sibal, and Canadian minister of foreign affairs and international trade for the Pacific Gateway, David Emerson, announced 10 joint research and development initiatives involving Canadian and Indian companies valued at more than $17 million.

Since the power wiring system was originally intended for transmission of AC power, the power wire circuits have only a limited ability to carry higher frequencies.

The propagation problem is a limiting factor for each type of power line communications.

The award to Corinex Communications will be used for project deployment of the BPL solution in two campuses.

Ten villages are targeted to be completed approximately one year from the day work begins – subject to various factors.

It is anticipated deployment will be completed in the villages, connecting about 3,000 users, within the next 18 months.

During this period, research and development will also be focused towards making this technology adoptable in India for intelligent grid, automatic meter reading, power management applications, etc.

Once the technology is deployed on a large scale, the revenues will be generated every month for the total life span of the equipments with minimal maintenance costs.

Also, since the same infrastructure will be usable for intelligent grid management as well, there will be significant benefits for the utility in using this technology, hence the investments in this technology development are well justified.

About Corinex Communications Corp.

Corinex AnyWireTM Connectivity solutions distribute high speed IP signals on electrical wiring, coax, and phone lines.

Corinex has a Powerline market share of 48% worldwide (In-Stat) and 40% in North America (Frost & Sullivan).

Its products are used by tier one service providers including Telefonica, Bell Aliant, Portugal Telecom, and Belgacom to distribute IPTV service throughout the home.