San Antonio-based CPS Energy will use Motorola's Harmony wireless communications system. The new system is designed to increase productivity, streamline operations and improve customer service for more than 669,000 electric customers and more than 315,000 natural gas customers in and around San Antonio.
The multi-million dollar contract, which was awarded to Motorola during the first quarter of 2007, was announced during the Utilities Telecom Council's "Telecom 2007" Expo in Austin, Texas.
CPS Energy will use Motorola's Harmony system throughout the company's 1566 square-mile service area to help increase productivity, streamline operations and improve customer service for gas and electric customers in San Antonio, Texas, and areas of adjoining counties. CPS Energy will also use the integrated communications system for a variety of business critical functions, including improved outage response and restoration, additional remote monitoring and control and enhanced system reliability.
"Choosing the right private communications systems is an important factor in our efforts to provide employees with reliable communications to improve customer service and satisfaction," said Christopher Barron, chief information officer, CPS Energy. "We believe Motorola's Harmony solution will help us realize higher productivity with two-way radio and wireless telephone services, and we are counting on this new system to help keep costs down for our organization and our customers."
Motorola's Harmony system is a user-owned wireless voice communications network designed to provide mobile workforces with fast, flexible communication services over 800 and 900 MHz frequencies. The Harmony System provides more efficient two-way radio, telephone, and packet data services by enabling up to six simultaneous transmissions on a single 25 kHz channel using Time Divisional Multiple Access (TDMA) digital technology. Motorola's digital private wireless systems range from large, statewide networks to small, single-site private systems.
"Harmony enables utility companies like CPS Energy to closely monitor operations throughout their service area, capture information from the field, and make real-time informed decisions to ensure customers receive the services they require," said Chris Banakis, MSSI vice president and director for enterprise utilities solutions, Motorola Networks & Enterprise. "Additionally, Harmony provides the scalability and flexibility to add applications as future needs develop, ensuring a sustainable voice and data solution that grows with the organization."
