The Internet of Things (IoT) plays a pivotal role in helping the utilities industry transform the way the world uses its resources. Whether deploying smart meters or smart grids, utilities need completely reliable high-performance connectivity that can be scaled up quickly to support vast numbers of IoT devices.
This is where Communication Service Providers (CSP) come in, as they can offer the solution for utility companies wanting to utilize IoT. By using a managed service that encompasses an IoT grid, CSPs and their utility customers have the potential to transform the utilities industry.
Looking at Hutchison 3 Indonesia (3ID) – a leading mobile CSP in Indonesia – and a state-owned electricity company which aims to roll out around 100 million smart meters over the next seven years, it is clear to see what can be achieved for businesses in this industry.
IoT can help utilities take advantage of real time and historical data to improve their efficiency, manage resources and achieve greater sustainability. However, a key challenge is ensuring low costs and secure connectivity at a truly vast scale. Utilities need a simple solution that minimizes installation and operational costs while providing the assured performance that only a managed cellular connectivity solution can offer.
The need for smart metering
Smart metering is utilities’ most prominent use of IoT, with hundreds of millions of water, gas and electricity meters being deployed globally each year. As well as giving consumers more control over usage, smart meters gather precise data to help utilities build smart grids to better manage resources, especially with the growing deployment of renewable energy sources.
It’s no small task to provide reliable connectivity for huge numbers of smart meters, and there are currently more connected devices to manage and support, located in more places, than ever before. That requires uninterrupted IoT connectivity and the ability to manage all those devices in a seamless, automated way.
For example, 3ID is delivering 4G and LTE services to more than 10,000 villages across the country. It also offers network services to several customers throughout Indonesia. One of its customers has committed to install nearly 100 million smart meters across the country over the next seven years. The plan supports the government’s aim to reduce its dependence on oil, increase the use of renewables to 23% of the national energy mix by 2025 and achieve 100% rural electrification. Further, this utility company is seeking to cut costs and improve its customer experience.
