Broadband over power lines
And next in our lineup of potentially disruptive technologies, we have broadband network access over power lines. This technology would allow power companies to provide high-speed network access through your power service, so you would theoretically be able to connect through any power outlet in your home.
This idea has been kicked around for awhile, but there have been technical limitations that have prevented it from moving to a practical stage. Now, however, the Matsushita company in Japan has developed a specialized chip that allows speeds of up to 170 megabits per second.
The big holdup in the widespread use of high-speed Internet is the cost of getting the signal down to the household level. Running lines to every individual home is costly, and results in only one or two options (cable or DSL) for most people looking for such access. Since the powerline technology uses the existing wiring, that cost is gone. If the speeds Matsushita claims are real (always a big “if”), then this would provide a very interesting new twist.