Welcome to Ban Power Line Technology

Are you suffering from a strange-sounding interference to your AM radio, FM radio, DAB radio, Taxi radio, Business radio (inc. shopping-centre radio), Airband radio, Marine radio, Military radio, Amateur radio, Citizens' Band radio, or Shortwave radio?

You may be suffering deliberate interference (Spectrum Abuse) from a neighbour (or neighbours) who are using Power Line Technology (also known as Power Line Networking, Power Line Adaptors and Broadband over Power Line). These sound samples are what you can expect to hear on your radio:

UPA PLT sounds

HPA PLT sounds

The recordings above were made with a standard portable battery powered AM radio tuned to various shortwave frequencies.

The UPA sounds typically emanate from the worst polluters, the Comtrend PG902, supplied by BT Vision.

The HPA sounds typically emanate from Belken, Zyxel, Devolo, later Comtrend models, and more. Victims describe the sound as a "motor boating".

The aim of this website is to help you understand the deliberate and illegal interference caused by Power Line Technology and what you can do about it!

This website is now https for your protection against oppressive regimes, government snooping, and censorship.

What is Power Line Technology? Why is it causing so much fuss? What can you do about it?

If you find the information on this website useful, please consider donating to its running costs.
It requires approx. £50 per annum to host an SSL site on a Virtual Private Server.
All donors will be thanked via Twitter.

If you would like to join our technical discussion group, please follow the link to groups.io:

News

31st October 2021 The Final Report on the Study on the evaluation of the Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive 2014/30/EU (EMCD) has now been published. The report in English running to 358 pages makes interesting reading. It is publicly available, free of charge, from the External link Publications Office of the European Union.

The study’s main objective was to support an evaluation of the Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive (Directive 2014/30/EU) (“the EMCD”) by the European Commission’s DG GROW. The study has assessed five key evaluation criteria, namely the Directive’s effectiveness, efficiency, relevance (including fitness for purpose), coherence and EU added value. The EMCD has not previously been evaluated, and after almost 30 years without major modifications, it was therefore timely to consider the extent to which the Directive overall – and the essential requirements in particular – have achieved their objectives, and done so efficiently and effectively. Beyond the five key evaluation criteria mentioned above, an overarching issue – linked to relevance – was to consider if the EMCD has remained fit for purpose.

Sky Q

The Sky Q box has landed and is now being deployed into people's homes. Already critised for including PLT in the design, it now appears as if Sky have removed any ability to disable the MIMO PLT system (MIMO using the Earth wire, along with Phase and Neutral, to blast interference around your home, and around the whole neighbourhood). It has already started to cause major problems:

External link http://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Sky-Q/Sky-Q-and-the-terrible-RF-interference-it-puts-out/td-p/2495775

This is a repeat of BT Vision supplying the Comtrend PG902 with its Vision product. A disaster for the radio spectrum that gave birth to UKQRM. Here we go again!

RTL SDR

The folks who maintain the External link RTL Software Defined Radio project have produced a video demonstrating the interference generated by PLT:

Ofcom Consultation

On the 5th January 2015, Ofcom released a consultation proposing to make new regulations under Section 54 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act (2006) which would give them unyielding authority to take criminal action against persons causing radio interference with their electronics. The substance of Ofcom’s argument for making the new regulations is the discrepancy between the requirements of the EU Directive which have far-reaching powers to protect radio from products when first placed on the market or put into service (i.e. at the precise moment this happens, not as an ongoing basis) and the fact that once equipment was in service, Ofcom claim they had no powers to take action against owners of interference generating electronics.

In essence, the new regulations are aimed at any device or installation which results in a breach of the essential requirements once installed and used in accordance with manufacturers' instructions. Naturally the most significance for these measures will be the potential for protection for amateur radio and SWL from devices like PLT, LED lighting and Plasma TV; which are by far the three most problematic technologies.

The consultation location at Ofcom is at: External link http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/undueinterference/

A direct link to the PDF to download is at: External link http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/consultations/wta-notice-propossals/summary/WTA_SI_2015_Consultation_Document.pdf

The proposed regulations PDF is at: External link http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/consultations/wta-notice-propossals/annexes/Annex6.pdf

And the online location to make your consultation response is at: External link http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/undueinterference/howtorespond/form

The consultation ended on the 15th February 2015 and as of 17th July 2015, nothing has happened. This may be down to some of the consultation replies pointing out gigantic holes in Ofcom's thought processes:

BT responded in the positive, but want powers extended to cover fixed-line installations: BT_Response.pdf

Somewhat two-faced considering they are responsible for starting most of this in 2008 with BT Vision pushing PLT!

The RSGB have given them a smack on the nose with a rolled-up newspaper: RSGB.pdf

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency are not happy: The_Maritime_and_Coastguard_Agency.pdf

"We point to power line transceivers as a potentially difficult area for standards..."

"The explanation of the need for better regulation is good and the intent is supported; however we question whether the proposed regulations give sufficient protection to safety of life and other services. Therefore we do not agree with the Proposed Regulations."

The Federation of Communications Services: FCS.pdf

On the 24th March 2016, Ofcom announced their External link Decision to make the Wireless Telegraphy (Control of Interference from Apparatus) Regulations 2016.

Statutory Instrument 2016 No. 426 The Wireless Telegraphy (Control of Interference from Apparatus) Regulations 2016 is in effect!

Read online (link above) or External link download the PDF PDF

We urge all radio users to test this legislation by complaining to Ofcom about interference to your radios.

Guest Authors

We are pleased to welcome Karl Fischer DJ5IL as a guest author to Ban PLT. He has been busy investigating the European Commission's hand in pushing PLT. You can read his first two Ban PLT articles here: The Trojan Horse of the PLC-Lobby: FprEN50561-1 and Doomed to Fail: FprEN50561-1.

Karl has now written to the Vice-President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, Viviane Reding, about the polluting powerline standard EN 50561-1. Read his open letter here (via Google Translate).

EU petition

Please sign an EU-wide petition against PLT to help save the radio spectrum from a technology set to cause such immense interference that it could become impossible to enjoy any form of radio. The EU need to be made aware of the problems their poor decision making and lack of market surveillence is causing.

Original German version

English version

EMC Directive 2014/30/EU

The new electromagnetic Compatibility Directive has now been published in the OJEU (Official Journal of the European Union, 29/3/2014). This replaces the previous Directive 2004/108/EC which repealed 89/336/EEC.

The new Directive addresses some of its predecessor's ambiguities and makes clear that its jurisdiction relates to products when they are first placed on the market or put into service. This includes second-hand equipment if it has not previously been placed on the market in the EU.

The Directive has been watered down as to Member States' mandatory requirement to protect radiocommunications. We are now poised on the precipice of a slippery slope with regard to European Regulation of the radio spectrum.

The new Directive can be downloaded from: here.

A new Blue Guide has also been produced to explain the implementation of the new Directive(s).

Ethical Suppliers

Is your business refusing to sell PLT, Plasma televsions, and non-EMC-compliant LED lighting? Let us know and we will feature you as an ethical supplier.

Check out our sister site for information on other radio interference sources:

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Page updated: 24th December 2023