Alcatel-Lucent, Deutsche Telekom Team to Launch Web User Interface for Smart Metering Trial

Alcatel-Lucent (News - Alert) and Deutsche Telekom have launched a Web-based smart metering user interface for the E-Metering field trial. The trial is running in the German city of Friedrichshafen.

 

Currently in Friedrichshafen, local utility provider Technische Werke Friedrichshafen is piloting a smart metering product, dubbed “TWF:CleverZahler” (clever meter). This product is based on an end-to-end metering service jointly developed by Alcatel-Lucent and Deutsche Telekom's (News - Alert) business customer segment, T-Systems.

 

The service offers consumers and utilities a view of energy consumption for each connected household. Smart metering helps consumers to use electricity efficiently and reduce energy costs and carbon emissions into the environment.

 

According to the companies, local utilities profit from the service with an overview of the actual energy consumption in all parts of their network. Approximately 1,000 smart meters for electricity and gas are expected to be supplied to 700 households until mid 2009.

 

Over the newly launched Web-based interface, consumers can view their energy consumption. Consumers can access the service over a DSL connection, and can also initiate ad-hoc measurements of their energy consumption anytime.

 

Additionally, the Web user interface visualises the energy consumption curve along defined timelines, such as per hour, per day or per month. Company officials said utility providers also have a remote view of the smart meters.

 

“By partnering with Deutsche Telekom, we have developed a smart metering solution that is likely to further develop this market segment,” said Michael Fabian, president of industry and public sector business at Alcatel-Lucent.

 

He also said in a statement that Alcatel-Lucent is providing network integration and other professional services for this end-to-end solution that is providing communications between consumers and their utility providers.

 

Fabian added: “The experience from consumers and the utility provider in this trial will advance our network design and application integration knowledge and enhance our solution.”

 

The end-to-end smart metering service of Deutsche Telekom and Alcatel-Lucent is based on Alcatel-Lucent's Open Service Platform (OSP), which is used in mobile networks to process data in real-time.

 

Alcatel-Lucent also has announced a partnership with child welfare agency, Barnardos Australia, to provide children at an inner-Sydney after-school learning centre with access to the latest communication technologies.