broadband over powerlines (BPL)

A type of data transmission in which a single wire can carry high-speed packet (internet) data. Cable TV, for example, uses broadband transmission. Electricity providers can use BPL technology to transmit data over the power lines that they already have in place by using a system of signal injectors, repeaters, and extractors that bypass the distribution transformer. The frequency of BPL signals is much higher than that of traditional power-line carrier (PLC) systems.