Geraldo Guimaraes, Executive Director, Latin America, BPL Global

Caracas, Venezuela / São Paulo, Brazil --- (METERING.COM) --- May 7, 2008 - Smart grid technology company BPL Global, Ltd. has announced that its broadband over powerline (BPL) implementation in Caracas, Venezuela has been deemed successful by La Nueva Electricidad de Caracas (EDC).

The BPL deployment in Petare, in the east side of Caracas, has been operating on the existing aerial medium voltage power lines in a trial mode providing Internet service to numerous multi-dwelling units as well as an elementary school with more than 1,000 students.

The BPL activities fit with EDC's overall strategy of providing services that benefit the communities' goal to continually improve quality of life in Venezuela. So far, enrollment of the broadband-enabled buildings has exceeded the 20 percent goal for the pilot.

Other services that EDC would like to offer include: VoIP, IPTV, VPN and IP communication services.

“Our broadband solutions allow for much broader access to high speed Internet," said Geraldo Guimaraes, executive director, Latin America for BPL Global. "We're excited about the economic and quality-of-life benefits these kinds of programs can bring to entire cities.”

Recent estimates from the Computer Industry Almanac indicate that only 13 percent of the Venezuelan population, or 3.3 million people, have Internet access. The access provided through EDC’s project, which is now being expanded in Petare to other primary schools and to Barrio Adentro (modules that provide medical assistance to the community), will enable significant growth in the number of people with broadband access, especially in areas of difficult access.