GCHQ in U-turn over power line networking interference

Spy agency no longer believes the technology will hinder its activities

The Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) has retracted a statement accusing power line networking of threatening the department's core business.

The initial statement said, "Power line networking is likely to cause a detrimental affect to part of the core business of this department", but was later retracted, according to a report in The Telegraph.

The report stated that the GCHQ, which works in partnership with MI5 and MI6 to protect the UK's national security interests, admitted that the technology did not impact its operations and that the statement had "contained errors" and had not been authorised.

Power line networking, which enables users to utilise the electrical mains circuit in their homes as a local area network in an alternative to Wi-Fi, is known to cause disruption to high frequency radio signals.

However, earlier this year, the Civil Aviation Authority said that the technology could interfere with navigation, landing and communication signals. Last year regulator Ofcom revealed it had received 272 complaints from radio enthusiasts about the interference it causes.

Part of the GCHQ's activity involves intercepting and decoding high frequency radio transmissions, which are highly likely to be affected by power line networking.

When contacted for comment, a spokesperson for the GCHQ said: "GCHQ has concluded that [power line networking] technology is not currently affecting GCHQ's capability."