BPL Networking Basics, Deployment, and Operations

1. BPL Networking Basics, Deployment, and Operations Dial.not Lance Rosen Founder & Partner, Electric Broadband V: 845-348-3194 Email: lrosen@electricbroadband.com

2. Topics • Strategy: Business & Technology • BPL Network Design and Architecture • Implementation: Deployment & Integration • Operating a BPL Network

3. Source: John Patrick, Internet Attitude

4. Goals and Objectives need to be defined during the strategy phase Strategy: Business & Technology

5. BPL Vendor BPL Strategy BPL Integrator Network Ops Service Provider Electric Utility While the overall value chain associated with a BPL business has many components, cooperative utilities have multiple structural options Design, Integration, and Operations phases • Landlord Model • Developer Model • Service Provider Model Strategy: Business & Technology

6. A powerline network can be thought of as being comprised of three critical pieces that create a seamless broadband infrastructure Source: Ambient Corp. BPL Network Design and Architecture

7. This infrastructure uses the internet suite of protocols based on the ISO - OSI seven-layer model of networking. BPL architectures utilize the OSI model BPL product and software designers implement the OSI model and in some instances have added “additional” control layers The important thing to note in the system architecture is ‘IP’ as the network layer. This allows everything above the network layer to operate independently of the type of link used. BPL Network Design and Architecture

8. Strategic Initiative How can we beat the competition? Interconnecting How do we interconnect disparate infrastructures? Broadband Services Are Wholesale and Retail Broadband Services to be marketed as part of the business plan? Network Enabled Applications Are Utility Applications implemented and managed? Network Efficiency Is Performance Monitoring part of the SLA? Network Administration Who fulfills Network Administration functions (Billing, SLA, Reporting, ...)? Logical Network Management Who provides the Network Operations Center services – 24x7? Physical Network Management What organization monitors and manages the physical Network Elements – 24x7? Hardware Assets What are the differential qualities of the BPL Vendors? Physical Network Who designs and plans the utility Infrastructure, backhaul, and last mile components? While in the design phase, specific network questions are considered BPL Network Design and Architecture

9. And a number of other components must also be designed into the implementation • Platform identification and selection • BPL architecture design • Network engineering • Backhaul and Internet connectivity • Security (authentication, spamming, pop-ups, etc...) • Fault tolerance and redundancy • Site Survey data • Utility applications? • Construction/resource management systems • Maintenance and Emergency repair • Trouble Management Since BPL is a “hybrid” networking technology it requires at least one type of interface to a backhaul network (fiber, copper, satellite, wireless) BPL Network Design and Architecture

10. What resources are required during the design phase? • Technical staff • Utility (Substation, Distribution Plant, Operations, Engineering) • Telecom (Outside Plant, NOC, Operations) • IS (Network Operations, Systems Integration, System Design) • If partnering, the consortium of value chain partners is taken under advisement • Financial (Business Dev, accounting, revenues (credit, billing), financial analysts) • BPL vendor involvement • Line crews • Site survey teams BPL Network Design and Architecture

11. What is involved with a BPL deployment? • Network design • Project teams with management authority • Line crew involvement and interactivity • Tools required for installation • Coordination with Partners (ISP, integrators, s/w developers) • Testing Implementation: Deployment & Integration

12. Deploy Design Develop Project Management Risk Assessment Change Readiness Results Measurement And there is a recursive risk mitigation methodology utilized during the deployment phase to help insure avoiding a “death march” Implementation: Deployment & Integration

13. So what can go wrong during the deployment phase? • Short cutting to make budget and time constraints • Inadequate installation/user training and support • Technical failure (e.g. hardware failures, programming bugs, operational problems) • Technical success, business failure (e.g. benefits not achieved) • Lack of support from upper management • Poor interfaces with existing systems • Lack of resources during start-up • Unanticipated situations • Scope changes Implementation: Deployment & Integration

14. Operating a BPL Network • Network Operations Center • Network element management • Backbone management • Help Desk: customer management • Customer acquisition and activation (provisioning) • Accounting, billing, and reporting • Process and roles definition • O&M • Managing Service Level Agreements (SLA) • OSS • Asset and element management Operating a BPL Network

15. Monitoring Network Performance • Monitoring Network Performance (e.g., SNMP, CPU Loads) • Fault Monitoring • MIB Browser • IP Address Management • Diagnostic Tools • Security Tools Operating a BPL Network

16. Depending on the BPL model chosen, resources will vary • Maintenance • NOC Operator • Customer Support • Billing Operations Utilities can choose their level of involvement based on risk, in-house expertise, and financial condition. Also, value chain partners will play a prominent role in managing and mitigating risk. Operating a BPL Network

17. What’s Next... • A Real World Implementation at PPL Telecom • Customer acquisition, care, and management

18. lrosen@electricbroadband.com