New power line technology to transform Internet, TV services
New power line technology to transform Internet, TVservices
(VNS)- With the ushering in of some cutting-edge
communications technologies, Viet Nam is preparing to
make a quantum leap in Internet and television
quality.
This follows agreements signed recently between the
Viet Nam Electricity Corporation and some providers of
telecom and television services in the country.
The first of these is an agreement to use digital
Power-line Communications (PLC) technology - among the
world's latest signed between EVN and Viet Nam Post
and Telecommunications Corporation (VNPT), a measure
that will vastly boost telecom services.
Under the agreement, VNPT will share the use of EVN's
north south optical cable systems.
In exchange, EVN will use the not-yet-operational
submarine optic fibre cable system of VNPT in order to
develop its telecommunications network by linking up
with the latter's existing one.
According to experts, digital power-line Internet
services come in two forms. The first of these uses
power lines to provide the service to subscribers'
home or office from a power-line Internet service
provider (ISP). The second involves Integrated
Services Digital Network (ISDN) connection, according
to an expert.
The two corporations point out that power-line
communications can help provide high speed Internet
access, telephony and specialised services such as
online reading of utility meters.
Experts say that power line ISPs are beginning to
become available in many countries around the world
with tests revealing these systems to be fast,
reliable and secure.
Meanwhile, Viet Nam Television (VTV) is working with
the EVN to take advantage of the country's power lines
to transmit television programmes using Community
Antenna Television (CATV) technology.
The application of CATV and power-line communication
technologies is expected to provide subscribers of
cable TV images and speech of much higher quality than
the current Multichannel Micro-wave Distribution
System (MMDS).
Deputy head of the EVN Electric Telecommunications
Company, Nguyen Xuan Tien, revealed that while both
the power-line communications projects of VTV and VNPT
were operating on trial bases, they seemed extremely
promising.
As these technologies are applied across the country,
they will not only deliver high quality services to
domestic users, but also help to fully exploit the
huge electricity network beyond its current unction of
merely transmitting power, Tien added.
Updated: 03/10/2002
