Smart gas metering as an Io T business

Smart gas metering as an Io. T business case: lessons learned Massimo Cesaro CTO Meter. Linq

The Context By year 2018, in Italy ~18 million gas meters will be replaces by smart meters The majority of battery powered smart meters will communicate through a 169 MHz RF interface In 2013, Meter. Linq was founded to provide the gas market with a solution to this problem In December, 2014 Meter. Linq was tasked with creating a smart metering infrastructure in Southern Italy by AMGAS Bari

AMGAS at a glance A. M. GAS S. p. A. : Municipal company founded in 1964. Operates in gas distribution services in the City of Bari: 122. 000 pdr (gas delivery points) 700 Km of gas networks 22. 000 user derivations 2 City Gates (PRMS) 70 GRF – 120 GRU 81 employees 3

From M 2 M to Io. T Meter. Linq idea: gas smart metering as a compelling business case for Io. T Not Just for AMGAS, but a generic infrastructure Using gas smart metering regulatory pressure to introduce an Io. T network service The steps: Find an Io. T enabling technology Adapt gas metering to Io. T Deploy! 4

Io. T Enabling Technology The communication infrastructure requirements Bi-directional (OTA firmware updates, clock sync) Deep coverage High availability and resilience Intrinsic security Low power Low maintenance overhead Reusable by different services 5

Adapting Gas Metering 2 G/3 G Radio Mobile Link Meter. Linq Gateway PM 1 @169 MHz Meter. Net AP Meter. Linq Gateway 6 IP Network Internet

From M 2 M. . . SAC – 3 rd party applications M 2 M platform 2 G/3 G/4 G Mobile or Wireline Network → TCP/IP Network (PP 3) Gateways – Data Concentrators Gas Meters (PM 1 @169 MHz) 7

To IIo. T SAC – 3 rd party applications Meter. Net® platform / NOC 2 G/3 G/4 G Mobile or Wireline Network → TCP/IP Network (PP 3) RPMA Gateways – Data Concentrators Gas Meters (PM 1 @169 MHz) Water, Parking, CHP, Lighting, other sensors 8

RPMA Deployment

The results The initial roll-out was completed in record time, less than 2 months, with 600 smart meters from 3 different vendors AMGAS is billing 1, 000 customers since May 2015 and will support ~15, 000 smart meters by the end of 2016 The deep RPMA coverage will be used to implement other smart city services (water, lighting, parking) Meter. Linq chose to build an ecosystem and extend the Bari model nation-wide

The RPMA Ecosystem Gas smart metering Io. T Network access Develoment API Open source software Open source hardware Road Safety EBB Water smart metering Ecosystem Building Block Agricolture Public Lighting Water and Geo monitors Remote Control Parking Air Quality

Nation-wide roll-out Initial coverage to 5 Italian regions Puglia, Lazio, Emilia Romagna, Veneto Lombardie Including major cities such as Torino, Genova Reach out ~6 millions people Covered area: ~1. 500 Km 2 Roll-out in 18 months

Conclusions Lessons learned – Leverage on regulatory pressure: use a mandatory service to introduce Io. T – Plan for multi-service networks – Trust only proven technology – Partner expertise is a critical factor – Build an affordable ecosystem – Define a simple business model 13

Thank you!