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SCAG Wireless: Southern California Edison (SCE) Shares a Love of Wi Fi - Not Really

When you talk Wi Fi Mesh, one of the first questions the pros ask concerns the status of streetlights in the area, because that makes a big difference on the potential of any given project.

You have to hand it to SCE - there are 780,000 streetlights in their territory, 615,000 of which they own. Imagine you're SCE, getting phone calls from a variety of parties asking about your street lights - nearly every electric utility in the country is going through this drill, or will be soon, but few with the intensity felt by SCE. This process is instructive.

Facing this issue, SCE did a Technical Feasibility Study to gather and analyze the facts. From their standpoint, this is a big issue because they have to make sure that they are able to continue to serve electricity, and that they are fair and equitable to all parties. The result of the study was to confirm that power quality among the Loop-Fed system (don't ask - it has to do with how they draw their power) is substantial and sufficient for Wi Fi devices.

They determined that 900 MHz conflicts with their own system, and that all WiFi related radios would have to be tested and approved by SCE before being deployed.

In May 2007, SCE took the results of their study and made a Wi Fi Tariff Filing at the California PUC, where they made two key points: 1) Streetlight service takes priority and 2) electric customers must be cost-indifferent.

Some cities challenged service-initiation processes and costs, and there was a request for Right of First Refusal. The CPUC approved the tariff on August 23, with some instructions. A subsequent required SCE compliance filing in September was approved in October.

The tariff is known as "Wi-Fi-1," and can be found here.

This is all pretty arcane, but very important, even vital, if you are in a city inside SCE's service territory. Hire a consultant, do some planning, but figure this one out before you go too far.

SCE's point person on Wi Fi, Elsa Ayala, can be reached at 909-307-6773. Step One would be to call her, I'm thinking.

Posted on November 08, 2007 at 04:02 PM

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