core sector communique

Motorola Powers World's First WiMAX-based Electric Utility Smart Metering for SP AusNet

The advanced mobile broadband technology allows fast and cost-effective roll-out of new metering infrastructure

SYDNEY and MELBOURNE, Australia, Oct 22, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) today announced that SP AusNet, a leading Australian energy delivery company, has chosen Motorola Home & Networks Mobility business mobile broadband technology to power the world's first WiMAX-based smart metering applications. Motorola will provide SP AusNet with a wireless end-to-end infrastructure for its smart metering program, which will help monitor and reduce electricity usage for more than 680,000 customers in Victoria.

Smart metering is a full measurement and collection system that includes customer meters, communication networks and data management systems. Motorola's innovative WiMAX application supports wireless communications between customers' meters and the central system, enabling the system to record electricity consumption measurements and remotely manage customer meters. The WiMAX technology also enables fast infrastructure roll-out and lower deployment and operating costs for utility companies.

Motorola will supply and deploy WiMAX WAP 650 base stations operating at 2.3GHz, Access Service Network (ASN) Gateway and new microwave systems to extend the wide area network (WAN) to new coverage areas. The system is based on a flat, all-IP architecture that enables high-speed machine-to-machine (M2M) communications. It will facilitate communication with SP AusNet's smart meters embedded with WiMAX chipsets, collecting measurements and sending instructions in real time, supporting the analysis of usage patterns and power generation needs. This wireless network also will allow SP AusNet to facilitate smooth communications for its field operations. The project spans a four-year period, and Motorola will start shipping and installing products by the end of 2009.

"This is the first time WiMAX technology will be used in smart metering for an electrical utility company. The WiMAX technology supports high-speed data communications and hundreds of thousands of smart metering connections that are capable of covering large geographical areas, providing a solid foundation to build a reliable and cost-effective communications network for smart metering," said Eric Starnes, vice president of sales and operations for Motorola's Home & Networks Mobility business in Asia. "Motorola's WiMAX solution will deliver a standards-based, carrier-grade solution that is secure, reliable and flexible to meet SP AusNet's smart metering requirements while delivering an unmatched quality of services. The contract win demonstrates our commitment to help customers like SP AusNet expand their capabilities."

Victoria is the first state in Australia to implement the extensive roll-out of smart meters. The government-led initiative will enable more than 2.2 million homes and 300,000 businesses to better manage their energy needs, cut carbon emissions and help increase retail competition.

Utility companies with smart metering systems will be able to provide innovative pricing structures such as discounted rates during non-peak hours. By providing more information on energy consumption levels in different time periods during the day, smart metering enables customers to enjoy cheaper electricity rates by better managing their usage. In addition, it will help increase businesses' ability to pre-define disaster planning scenarios to minimize the impact to the grid, which will save resources. The WiMAX-based system also can support a series of new functions such as remote connection and disconnection, outage detection and notification, power quality control and asset optimization.

Motorola is a leader in WiMAX technology and provides a full end-to-end WiMAX broadband solution that extends beyond just the infrastructure to the IP core, operations and maintenance, a full services portfolio and customer premises equipment.