Good news in the anti-BPL fight

In 2004, the Amercian Radio Realay League (ARRL) requested the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) release internal staff studies showing support for its decision to allow the operation of Broadband over Power Line (BPL) devices under modified FCC part 15 rules. The FCC released some information, but large and critical sections were redacted (withheld) from public release. The ARRL appealed the FCC redaction under the Freedom of Information Act in the US Court of Appeals, where the FCC was subsequently found to have deliberately withheld information contrary to its conclusions. The ARRL cited the redacted information during the appeal proceedings.

The You-Tube recording below was made at the ARRL Forum at the 2009 Dayton Hamvention by Amateur Radio Video News. It is of a presentation by ARRL Chief Executive Officer Dave Sumner, K1ZZ. The video describes the redacted information, and is also a revealing insight to the operation of the FCC, and just how far the FCC was prepared to go to withhold information, from the public, which didn’t align with its pro BPL agenda. Click the play symbol to view it....