Avista Re-Evaluates Broadband Project

Mutual agreement with vendor to end contract discussions

SPOKANE, Wash. – February 9, 2006: Avista Utilities will re-evaluate its plans for deployment of a broadband-over-power-line (BPL) pilot project in north Idaho. The company and a prospective BPL vendor have mutually agreed to end contract negotiations for a test deployment.

The decision to reassess the project comes at a time when many changes are taking place in the BPL industry. “We want to step back and look at how the industry is evolving in terms of technology and the business model,” said Avista Market Solutions Manager Dave Heyamoto. “By taking a little more time with this, both our customers and the utility will ultimately benefit.”

BPL is a technology that allows users to receive broadband Internet service via the existing electric power distribution system. Utilities can also make use of the technology to monitor and maintain various elements of the distribution system.

Avista has not yet set a timeline for any future BPL projects.

Avista Corp. is an energy company involved in the production, transmission and distribution of energy as well as other energy-related businesses. Avista Utilities is a company operating division that provides service to 330,000 electric and 285,000 natural gas customers in three western states. Avista’s non-regulated subsidiaries include Avista Advantage and Avista Energy. Avista Corp.’s stock is traded under the ticker symbol “AVA.” For more information about Avista, please visit www.avistacorp.com.

Avista Corp. and the Avista Corp. logo are trademarks of Avista Corporation.

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As you can guess, the vendor that Avista has stated they will end contract discussions with is ComTek. Due to a non-disclosure agreement they are unable to state ComTek in the press release. ComTek is currently in the news as being the technology partner with the Manassas, VA BPL deployment that is causing so much grief to amateurs there. Avista ending their agreement is a really good thing. It sounds like Avista is going to sit back, wait and watch to see what happens with BPL. No BPL deployment is forthcoming very soon.

Brent, the gent from Avista that conducted meetings in Spokane, Moscow and most recently in front of the KARS group has stated that Avista will continue to establish a baseline measurement and a test methodology to help combat the problems other BPL deployments have had. He has stressed to me that he fully intends on utilizing volunteers from the Amateur Community to help develop and test his baseline measurements. He wants to have participation and good communication with us. It's a priority to include and inform us of developments.

I would like to consider this a success. Avista still may set up a BPL Pilot, but it will be with their own purchase of technology, their own installation and test methodology at their pace. Considering how hams have been treated in Manassas, this is another really good thing. If they do set up a pilot, it looks like their interest is in utilizing it to strengthen and enhance their power distribution system. Why is this a benefit to us? 

        A BPL distribution as an Internet Service Provider would mean that multiple families would be utilizing the BPL for things like streaming audio, video, downloads, maybe even something like Vonage. The amount of data would mean louder interference signals most likely. Because they are not working with a vendor, there is no real advantage to deploying for this purpose.

        If it is used to maintain and alert Avista if a portion of their distribution was down, the amount of data required for a device to say, "I'm Okay" or "I'm Down" is much less. Less usage of the BPL system means less interference for our hobby/service.

Having Avista choose the hardware, the location, the use of a BPL deployment will be far better for us, the people in their service territory, as they will consider us in their decisions. Having Brent where he is provides us with an ally in our goal of keeping Amateur Radio alive and healthy.

I will continue to provide updates to you when I have information to share. I will continually bug both Dave and Brent to keep on top of what Avista is doing.

NEWSWORTHY!
Benton County PUD is deploying BPL in Kennewick. They have outlined 6 areas within Kennewick, each varies in size. I have a Google map that I overlayed the areas on. It's a rough map but will most likely help in determining whether you live nearby. I'm willing to send it by request, it's a 370k file, which to those with broadband access isn't an issue. For those of you with dial-up, it would take a few minutes. I will be helping in any way I can to get the word out and get the Amateurs talking with the officials in Benton County PUD.

You will be updated as soon as I get more information.

Until then, get on the radio! Check in to nets! Learn from or teach someone something about our hobby and passion. Please.

I said Please, didn't I?

73,
Todd Cady, K7PKT