Paulwell wants JPS to offer broadband Internet service

[vez]

Energy minister Phillip Paulwell says he wants the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) to enter the broadband Internet market.

Minister Paulwell described this as a win/win strategy for the company, saying it could recoup some of its loses from new competition. He says the existing JPS grid could also dramatically increase broadband access in several communities.

The minister says this would help to drive development and increase Jamaica's competitive edge in the market for investments. Mr Paulwell says the light and power company could provide high-speed Internet service similar to what is currently provided by Flow Jamaica.

source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/latest/article.php?id=34730

[khat17]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadband_over_Power_Lines

BLP is something that has been around for some time now. If JPS was to get into that then they may stand a chance of keeping some of the market.

[RubberBand Man]

With the rep that JPS has I wouldn't touch them with a long stick...

[ramesh]

Hopefully they won't charge you for having the "potential" ability to connect to their service.....

[Pothole]

Broadband over Power Line is fraught with problems. There are many documented trials of BPL (many of which have closed down) in the USA and elsewhere which failed from a cost per customer perspective, and from a reliability and throughput perspective.
I spent a little time investigating the radio frequency interference radiated from the BPL signals as they are carried over the power lines which caused potential problems with aviation, marine, broadcast and emergency communications. (The networks rarely meet the FCC-imposed radiation limits imposed on them).

[BNOVA]

So not paying your internet bill results in no light and visa versa?

[Bl@ze]

So not paying your internet bill results in no light and visa versa?

o_0 .

[khat17]

Though it has problems most persons have JPS - people in remote bush would get broadband.

[BNOVA]

I am just saying that if broadband internet is offered by JPS I would think that both light and internet services would be possibly be tied to one account.

[DarkAngel]

Paulwell can talk all he wants, I doubt JPS will be going this route anytime soon, from my recollection they have the license for years and have done nothing with it. Quite frankly JPS need to focus on its core business- provide lower cost, clean and reliable electricity service to this country and upgrade their ancient power plants.