Eurotech has announced an agreement with a major utility company serving more than 2 million customers for ZyWAN cellular routing modems to support Smart Grid initiatives. The project calls for deployment of 1M USD worth of Eurotech ZyWAN units at base stations throughout the grid to manage power flow and wirelessly connect smart meters for residential and business clients.

The ZyWAN modems wirelessly transmit smart reader readings and provides diagnostic measurements from base stations throughout the covered region to the centralized control center for operations. Using the ZyWAN unit gives the utility a reliable, high-performance network access point for a comprehensive view of their grid.

This Smart Grid application with the Eurotech ZyWAN provides near real-time management of the end user's power usage offering an optimal customer experience while maintaining operational efficiency for the utility. Benefits to the end customer include the following:

• Provide automatic meter reading without a visit to the local property 
• Enhance the ability to respond promptly to meter service requests 
• Allow customers to access online tooling to monitor energy use 
• Offer innovative rate options that meet the clients' lifestyle to  better manage their energy usage and bill 
• Notify of power outage situations, to better manage power restoration  efforts

"The ZyWAN gives utilities access to information throughout the grid, drawing the data from the edge of the network to the operations center," said Kurt Hochanadel, wireless product manager for Eurotech Inc. "Because the ZyWAN is certified with several wireless carriers, utilities can potentially deploy the units and be up and running quickly to manage operations and improve the customer experience. With Smart Grid initiative funding on the line, these capabilities can drive real value for a utility."