OFCOM propose to prosecute owners of 'bad' Homeplugs

Fascinating, that is an intersting development.. that will put the cat amongst the pigeons. Luckily with the PowerLine Adapters  removals I was aware of the device owners fully co-operated with Ofcom and a third party.

Simon

To quote OFCOM:

Current statistics on PLT complaints

Ofcom has maintained statistics on PLT since July 2008. As of December 2013 there have been a total of 289 reports of interference attributed to PLT. Every report of interference concerns an inability to receive a transmission on the shortwave band and is made by amateur radio users.

Complaints of PLT interference have shown considerable decline.

Since January 2012, 2 complaints have been identified as PLT related (compared with 287 between July 2008 to December 2011). This is against an increased take-up of the technology.

ref: http://stakeholders.ofcom.org....rum-enforcement/plt/

Dave

What's PLT? As the article was in the Torygraph, I can only think of People Love Thatcher......

Power Line Telecommunications as in Power Line Adaptors, ethernet-over-mains, and Homeplugs.

Dave

Dave, what it doesn't say, it is nearly impossible to complain about PLT now.. It's quite a convoluted route unless you are a protected radio licence operator. You have to complain initially to the BBC now, be really persistent and know technically exactly what is happening (ie know the interference is PLT as opposed to some other interference like bad LED lights, solar panel inverters, noisy SMPS) and  in my opinion have independent advice on how to drive the complaint through to get it to finally arrive at Ofcom. Pre around 2011/12 you complained directly to Ofcom and you didn't need to be a licensed radio user.

You don't have to read too far to find tales of people (consumers) having given up complaining about 'electrical' interference on their radio, broadband dropping out etc.- of which PLT can definitely be a contributor.

At the time the cynical amongst us predicted this reporting change would cause this, as Ofcom didn't have the resources to manage the increasing volume of complaints.... Perhaps I should be a futureologist...

However I suspect the big boys - GCHQ, CAA, MoD are not going to be so easily fobbed off.... I have stepped away from this all over the last few years - but I suspect this has been evolving hence the newspaper article now..

just love statistics they really can mask realities. Various minutes of meetings I shouldn't have seen showed that the PLT issue is one Ofcom really wished it didn't have to own, and is perhaps relieved that GCHQ is going to take the ownership... Perhaps. 

Simon

Simon

I had to smile reading the OFCOM link I gave as it referred to a technical report on Comtrend PLT devices which I think you have mentioned in the past. Also, the article in The Telegraph doesn't actually say there is a major issue with PLT technology as the OFCOM link bears out. Surely, some amateur radio enthusiasts and audiophiles aside, if there was a major issue it would have come to light by now either in the media or on web forums. Personally, I have yet to see the evidence.

Dave

Dave - actually the amateur radio licenced operators have been largely placated - globally they appear unusually influential - and PLT devices are now gapped across the amateur radio spectrum bands so as to cause no or minimum (intermod) radio interference on them - its the poor users who are less technically aware of what is going on who are completely blind as to how PLT is impacting them that I feel sorry for - and I put the Audiophile into this group.

The trouble with PLT technology is that as it is essentially reliant on being a broadband rf transmitter and receiver, the interference and the reach of that interference outside the immediate premise is very much dependent on the shape of the house wiring. Therefore there are spot issues with specific deployments as opposed to general issues - but you can say the impact is generally uncertain - if you follow my logic - and that is where some concern lies.

Simon

Meaning?

Dave

Meaning the interference and impact of intermods caused by PLT is probably not recognised as such by non technical users. For example an audio user found his/her system sounded slightly off at certain times or had deteriorated recently, they might simply blame the mains - and in a way they could be right - but it could be PLT transmissions on the mains from a neighbour. Would the typical Audiophile know how to investigate and determine this so as to complain? I suggest not.. So they put up with it justifying it as its their mood, or tired or its a full moon etc and enjoy less what they should be appreciating.

Simon

Simon

With respect, couldn't you use that argument about anything that "wasn't quite right" or had "got worse"?

Dave

Yes you are right - and without the technical knowledge its all guess work - kind of my point - but it could be PLT and as such at least you may have a chance if you have understanding neighbours to do something about it, just like I was fortunately able to.

But yes it could be faulty street light, bad solar inverter - bad LED lighting a whole host of things - and some you might not have any ability to influence a remedy.

Usually however once the radio interference gets to a certain level such that it is impacting other 'protected' services then the law starts to protect you. Mains interference on its own doesn't normally fall into this category - but because of the way PLT works it can in some circumstances impact protected services - then you can do something about it

Simon

Simon

If I have an issue with PLT devices I know who to contact then.

Dave

My interest piqued by the announcement of the Ofcom consultation, I've being doing some further reading and found the following web-site.  Although it can't be said to be completely un-baised in it's approach it does include a detailed summary of the issues and included some video demonstrations of the effects of PLT on AM and DAB radio...

http://www.ban-plt.org.uk/what.php 

Good find PhilP

Maybe an idea for all on the forum & Naim to positively advise against PLT in the future.

Not too much remember to advise others not to use them whenever possible.

Even better if Naim were to produce a paper on network do's & don't & include that in the manual & as a forum sticky in FAQ