PLT- AN OVERVIEW OF PLCC

PLT- AN OVERVIEW

The basis of power line telephony is power-line communication.

First of all, it is necessary to know what Power-line communication is. Power-line Telephony or Power-line Communications (PLC) denote the use of voltage supply lines, or more precisely the use of medium- and low-voltage supply grids, for the transmission of voice and data (voice, data, video, etc.).

A power-line carrier system is a method of sending information over the 120Vor 277V electrical power distribution system of a building.

Power line telephony, PLC for short, means the transmission of data and information via the electricity supply system. A difference is made between internal data transmission e.g. between two sockets and external data transmission e.g. between a service provider and its customers.

The communication and data transmission from one substation to another substation is carried out by means of power line telephony system. PLT utilizes frequency range between 50 and 600 kHz. The high frequency data is transmitted through the power line conductors. Carrier current in the frequency range 30 to 500 KC/s, are used for communication between the two substations connected by transmission lines. The high frequency signals are transmitted through the power lines.

Depending on the system, data transfer rates of 60 bits/s to 28 kbits/s are possible in the frequency range. Technologies are available today, however, which allow data transfer rates of up to 10 MB/sec. Their approval is being debated in Europe at the moment, but they are already in use in certain countries.

This system is a basis of any automation. It guarantees flexibility, independence, low price, and easy usage.

It is the Technology with real business opportunities .The obvious advantage of the PLC concept is the ubiquity of the electricity network, which is available in every room, in almost every house in the developed world - denser than today’s existing telephony infrastructure. The areas of developing data transmission solutions via power lines include outdoor (local loop) and in-house (home networking) solutions. PLC technology provides connection and data transfer over existing electricity networks ("power lines") and currently allows transmission speeds of 1 Mbps and beyond!

The electricity network consists of three levels: high, medium and low voltage. For Local Loop-PLC transmission, low and to some extend medium levels are used. The low voltage network comprises lines from low voltage transformers up to the electricity meter in every property. Telecom transmission is realized via this part of the network, from the transformer to the customer premises. Effectively, PLC technology turns the low voltage level into a "local loop" data transmission infrastructure. In general, a PLC system should consist of two basic elements, one at the transformer and the second at customer premises that send and receive data.

However, "power lines" not only exist outside of building, but also within. The in-house electricity lines can be used for high-speed transmission enabling the provision of Home Networking solutions.