Itron, Inc. has launched its new 4G LTE smart metering solution. The solution, featuring an OpenWay CENTRON 4G LTE meter, is the latest technology in Itron’s cellular portfolio that provides broad territory coverage, low latency and network longevity, using the fastest 4G LTE technology available today. The solution will be commercially available by the end of the first quarter of 2015.
The smart cellular metering technology is a part of Itron’s OpenWay smart grid solution, providing utilities with the option to deploy any combination of cellular and RF mesh communications, including 4G LTE, all under the same network management system. 4G LTE communication is particularly useful for hard-to-reach locations or territories or for opt-in scenarios. Due to the low latency of the 4G LTE network, the new solution is also a good option for DA/SCADA applications or utilizing smart meters as grid sensors to monitor distribution system conditions.
The smart meter solution includes an LTE modem from Sierra Wireless and will take advantage of the Verizon Wireless network, the largest and most reliable 4G LTE network in the U.S., covering 97 percent of all Americans.
“By enabling Itron’s OpenWay CENTRON 4G LTE smart meter to run on Verizon’s 4G LTE and intelligent IP networks, we are helping to make the electric grid the smart grid of tomorrow,” said Michael Brander, managing director, energy and utilities practice, Verizon Enterprise Solutions. “Collaborating with companies like Itron to enable the possibilities of the smart grid is yet another step in how the industry is moving the Internet of Things (IoT) forward.”
