First Mile Access Networks and Enabling Technologies

Noise in PLC Systems

The power line is connected to a large number of appliances and equipment, each radiating its own noise and, hence, creating at different times a different level of noise in the channel. The noise in the channel varies, and this variation results from a number of factors, including frequency, time of day, and load. The article “Power Line Communications: State of the Art and Future Trends” specifies four main types of noise:

• Colored background noise— This is the accumulation of the low-power noise sources whose power spectral density is directly proportional to frequency.

• Narrowband noise— This is generally due to radio and other electromagnetic interferences that get latched on to the power line.

• Asynchronous impulsive ...