Siemens to Test Smart Meter Project in UK

July 18, Scottish Power, Siemens, smartreach (a smart meter consortium led by Arqiva, the consortium including BT, BAE Systems Detica, and Sensus) Announced that it will test smart meter projects in the UK.

The trial project will target 1000 families in Ipswich, Shafok region, and will test the transmission of data from the remote radio communication network to smart meters.

The experimental project will last for 18 months and will use the existing Akiva infrastructure and Sennex's FlexNe smart meter communication system. Siemens provided metering services to Scottish Power and served as a smart meter installation for participating in experimental project families.

Partners hope that this pilot project will demonstrate the advantages of remote radio communication, which enables the meter to be linked to any installation site, even in basements or cellars, or wherever mobile communication is difficult.

The use of remote wireless communication means that only one communication tool is used and the installation is simpler and more economical.

Andrew Ward, Director of Operations at Scottish Power, said that the trial will help us assess where remote radios are being spread to smart meter installations, achieving the first high-efficiency connections and higher reliability goals.

This technology has been widely used in the United States. There are tens of thousands of homes and grid terminals in the United States that connect SENS's remote radio network.

By 2019, smartreach will demonstrate for the first time in the UK a smart meter for remote radio connections to mobile communication networks.