Data Communication Over Power-lines: A Review on Technical, and Applications Challenges

Abstract

This paper presents a review study on the data communication over power-lines, commonly referred to as power-line carrier, power-line communication (PLC), mains communications, or power-line digital subscriber line (PDSL). This study examines the technical and application advantages and challenges associated with adopting PLC as a preferred alternative technology for wideband or broadband data communication. The broader coverage area of the PLC network gives it a distinct advantage over other communication network technologies. Additionally, implementing a communication system using the existing power-line network is more cost-effective and less time-consuming compared to constructing a new network from scratch. However, the primary challenge lies in the fact that the power-line network is primarily designed for the distribution of electrical power within the frequency range of 50-60 Hz including the harmonics. This poses various obstacles such as electrical noise from appliances, signal distortions caused by the unregulated nature of the wiring, transformer bypassing, interference from high-frequency modulation, and variations in characteristic impedances, among others. Despite these challenges, the emergence of robust modulation techniques like Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) and Direct-Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS), along with the development of Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) density with improved processing speeds, as well as advancements in signal processing and error control coding techniques, have made the PLC network the most promising telecommunications access network.