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Kokua Line
June Watanabe
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HECO does not plan to provide Internet access
Question: A while ago, Hawaiian Electric Co. announced it was starting a pilot project examining whether it could deliver fast, reliable Internet access through residential electrical lines. How is that going, and is there any way to participate in the testing? From an economic perspective, it sure would be nice to see more competition in this area. As someone who does not see the value in cable TV or a landline phone, it would be great to be able to buy Internet service from a provider I already use.
Answer: Don't hold your breath on this one.
"HECO isn't planning to get into the Internet provider business," although its pilot project is continuing, said spokesman Jose Dizon.
HECO initially announced plans to wire about 100 homes in Pearl City to test the "Broadband Over Powerlines," or BPL, technology, but decided last year to scale back the project.
"A few" customers in the McCully area are currently participating in the pilot project, Dizon said.
While Internet service is included in the test program, he emphasized that "that is not our focus."
Instead, HECO is interested in using BPL for various utility applications, to see if it can improve service to customers through advanced metering, outage detection, substation monitoring, etc., Dizon said.
He said an inherent challenge with BPL is the cost to purchase and install equipment to bypass transformers and to amplify the broadband signal.
HECO hasn't yet ruled out BPL, he said, but it is also looking at other technologies, such as "wi-fi" and wireless, as the communications media for utility applications, such as reading customer's meters.
For these two other technologies, "HECO is not providing its own Internet service," Dizon said. Instead, it is using other Internet providers as the communications medium.
"Again, our focus is on utility applications that benefit customers by improving reliability and productivity of our operations," Dizon said. "Providing Internet service is not our focus and we do not plan on entering that business."
Q: I'd like to mail a contribution to the family of police officer Steve Favela. Can you provide an address?
A: Contributions may be dropped off at any branch of First Hawaiian Bank or mailed to First Hawaiian Bank, Service Delivery Division, P.O. Box 1959, Honolulu 96805.
Checks can be made out to "Friends of Steve Favela."
The officer died of injuries suffered when his motorcycle crashed while accompanying President Bush's motorcade. Funeral services will be held Friday at Borthwick Mortuary.
Mahalo
To the wonderful guys who came to the aid of a senior citizen couple stuck in traffic at Kapiolani and Kalakaua avenues on a recent Saturday morning. They pushed our car into a parking lot so traffic could flow. May your blessings be a thousandfold. Auwe to all those who just blasted their horns. -- Ray and Millie
Got a question or complaint? Call 529-4773, fax 529-4750, or write to Kokua Line, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu 96813. As many as possible will be answered. E-mail to
kokualine@starbulletin.com.
See also: Useful phone numbers