New BPL Trial Switched On in Mount Beauty, Victoria.

A new BPL trial by SP-Ausnet has recently been activated in Mount Beauty, Victoria. Internet service provider SP Ausnet is partnering with Schneider Electric which is providing all hardware components.

Mount Beauty (Postcode 3699) is a town 339km north-east of Melbourne in the Victorian high country. The population is about 1,700, swelling to many times more in the winter snow season. There are a small number of active radio amateurs within the BPL trial area and up to a dozen or so within the greater Mount Beauty area.

The trial covers an area of about 8 streets over 1-2 square km, and the access BPL service is to be provided free for 6 months to any residents within that area.

Power distribution within the trial area is overhead and BPL equipment has been installed on every second or third pole. We are advised that many BPL modems have already been installed in clients premises.

At the time of writing information concerning the trial has not been placed on the ACMA BPL portal, and the system appears to be switched on and off several times throughout the day. .

The WIA has been contacted by two radio amateurs within the BPL trial area who are suffering BPL interference and is currently assisting them.

Information on Mount Beauty can be found at the following Link

Phil Wait
VK2DKN
Director, WIA

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