Originally Posted by
Saab Dastard
It seems that no data can pass beyond the Consumer Unit (fuse box).
Sort of. Usually, the wires from there disappear underground, or go for a longish trip overhead. That puts any potential "eavesdropper" out of range.
BUT if you're in a block of flats, I think you'll find it passes through the consumer unit quite happily. Rather as a WiFi setup would.
These "local" mains networks are OK, and do a job.
The original proposal to send broadband via the mains to all subscribers would have been a disaster, in part for users (because of interference), but mainly for anyone who wanted to listen to AM radio, and also for radio amateurs who would have found most of the HF spectrum blocked by it.
I'm very glad PLT got the heave-ho.