⁵⁰Power-line carrier, or PLC as it is known in the electric power industry, consists of data communications conveyed over the power line conductors themselves. This usually takes the form of a high-frequency AC signal (in the hundreds of kilohertz range) which is then modulated with the data of interest, similar to radio communication except that the RF signals travel along power lines rather than through empty space as electromagnetic waves. Power-line carrier systems are generally less reliable than fiber optic networks, because the presence of faults on the protected line may compromise the pilot communication.