If there's anyone who doubts the seriousness of the "Broadband over Power Lines"

issue take a look at this, directly from the FCC's website, front page under
"Broadband".
It sure looks like they welcome any type of system that will cheaply bring
broadband access
to a large area, and that certainly describes the BPL proposal. Heading this
off may be a tough challenge.


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Broadband

The FCC's strategic goal for Broadband is to establish
regulatory policies that promote competition, innovation, and
investment in broadband services and facilities while
monitoring progress toward the deployment of broadband services in
the United States and abroad.


Description


Broadband technologies, which encompass all evolving
high-speed digital technologies that provide consumers integrated
access to voice, high-speed data, video-on-demand, and
interactive delivery services, are a fundamental component of
the communications revolution. Fully-evolved broadband
will:

Virtually eliminate geographic distance as an
obstacle to acquiring information, and
Dramatically reduce the time it takes to access
information.

All will benefit as broadband’s technologies are
developed and deployed. Nonetheless:

The infrastructure is not yet ubiquitous,
Relative costs of deployment remain high compared to
narrowband,
Access is limited in underserved areas, and
Adoption rates remain low relative to availability.


Objectives


Promote the availability of broadband to all
Americans.

Conceptualize broadband in a way that includes any
platform capable of providing high-bandwidth intensive content.

Clarify and stabilize the regulatory treatment of
broadband services.

Encourage and facilitate an environment that
stimulates investment and innovation in broadband technology and
services.

Harmonize regulation of competing broadband services
that are provided via different technologies and network
architectures.

Dutifully enforce market-opening requirements.

Monitor social and economic developments in order to
provide ongoing national and international policy leadership and
consumer education in the emerging broadband arena.