Power-Line Communication

Power-line communication is the carrying of data signals over a conductor that is simultaneously used for electric power transmission or distribution. It works by adding modulated carrier signals onto existing electrical wiring, using low-frequency bands for utility purposes and higher-frequency bands for local networking. Electric utilities use power-line communication for smart meter data collection and automatic meter reading, remote monitoring and control of the grid, substation communication, and protective relay signaling, since it lets them carry data over infrastructure that is already in place rather than building a separate communication network. The same underlying technology is also used outside the utility sector for home automation, local area networking, and delivering broadband internet over power lines. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/