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Powerline Broadband Internet in the USA

Written by
Nov 30, 2023

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Provider Types

Internet Providers in the United States of America

We've found internet service providers in the USA. Below are statistics on their coverage and download speeds. Enter your address above to see which internet providers offer service in your area.

HughesNet 330,449,668 53 100 mbps
Viasat Internet 326,965,502 51 150 mbps
T-Mobile 5G Home Internet 324,330,407 50 245 mbps
Always ON 324,330,407 50 100 mbps
AT&T Wireless 306,461,488 53 10 mbps
Verizon 305,552,896 51 10 mbps
Xfinity 122,350,395 41 10000 mbps
AT&T Internet 120,303,183 21 5000 mbps
Spectrum 110,551,034 42 10000 mbps
EarthLink 99,191,941 26 5000 mbps
Cricket Wireless 94,688,250 37 6 mbps
Metro® by T-Mobile 54,308,583 5 1.5 mbps
Verizon High Speed Internet 45,169,487 13 15 mbps
Verizon 5G 42,977,871 34 1000 mbps
Verizon Fios 38,193,059 10 2000 mbps
CenturyLink 34,940,556 20 940 mbps
GeoLinks 33,203,058 3 1000 mbps
U.S. Cellular 25,083,868 19 6 mbps
Cox Communications 23,295,442 19 2000 mbps
Optimum by Altice 20,585,604 21 8000 mbps

Electric Powerline Internet In the United States

Broadband over powerline (BPL) is a internet service type where customers get high-speed internet connections through their standard electrical outlets.

Users simply plug a power line modem into any socket and there is no need for additional special wiring.

This emerging technology, shows potential because already installed power lines can be used to service customers without needing to build a completely new broadband infrastructure.

There have been a number of providers using BPL in the U.S., but none of them are still operating as of 2016. Most cases of powerline broadband were implemented by the electric companies that owned the local power lines in order to serve rural areas without any broadband infrastructure. Since the Broadband Initiative in 2009, these electric companies have largely opted to use the available government grants to fund new fiber optic infrastructure rather than rely on broadband over power line.

Benefits of Powerline Internet

Existing Infrastructure

Powerline internet offers an affordable way for power companies to provide broadband access to areas with low population densities by leveraging their existing infrastructure.

Low Cost

Because Powerline internet leverages the existing infrastructure, electric companies can offer competitive services without an immense capital investment.

This means lower costs to service new customers allowing the electric utility to pass the savings on to customers.

Limitations

Wireless Interference

Because powerlines were originally designed to only carry electricity, they don’t have any protective coating to aid in noise rejection (unlike fiber or coaxial cable).

This means that other communication technologies can produce interference and degrade the quality of service experienced by users.

Transformers

Because the power grid in the US relies heavily on the use of step down transformers to provide customers with electricity, special repeaters must be attached to transformers to provide a seamless connection.

Currently, powerline connections in Europe are more prevalent because the differences in their power grid require far fewer repeaters.

How Powerline Internet Works

How Powerline Internet Works

To provide broadband over power lines the electric company simply adds powerline adapters and repeaters across it’s existing power infrastructure. From there the powerline adaptors receive broadband data and transmit it over the powerlines at a special frequency.

Once a home is connected to a powerline provider all the consumer needs is a powerline modem which separates the data signal from the electricity.

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