Executive summary
The goal - Connect to vital usage information
Regulatory and market pressures require that utilities improve network reliability, resolve service issues faster and lower costs associated with service requests. But outdated meter systems are not connected to the network infrastructure, so essential information about usage and outages is not easily available. IBM and Cisco Systems can help you implement an advanced meter management solution that connects meters directly to your infrastructure.
The advantage - Enhance communication with smart meters
The advanced meter management solution from IBM and Cisco helps utility companies replace existing meters with "smart" meters in the field. The new meters use a combination of IBM and Cisco technology to collect and transmit accurate customer usage data through wireless and wireline network connections. Two-way communication with the meter allows remote control functions without onsite human intervention. The solution is based on a secure, reliable IP-enabled network. In addition to technology, we also provide services to help with implementation, training and management of the new meter system.
The benefits - Utilize accurate data for better decision making
The smart meters and network connections provided by our meter management solution can provide many benefits to utilities. The solution is designed to supply accurate data in near real time, which can help:
- Improve workforce productivity by automating collection and transport of meter information.
- Assist with identification of outages and generate load profiles.
- Improve theft detection and speed termination of unauthorized use.
- Enable faster responses to customer service requests, improving customer satisfaction.
The solution can also enable new customer services, such as time-based billing, to encourage conservation, smooth peak demand and help customers lower their utility bills.
Business view
The goal - Lower costs with automated metering
Aging utility meter systems require costly human intervention to manage. As utilities work to lower costs and provide customers with new services, existing meters are working against them. The advanced meter management solution from IBM and Cisco Systems is designed to replace these outdated meters with "smart" meters that automate collection of usage data. Make more informed decisions. Deliver new services. Motivate customers to reduce power usage.
The advantage - Rely on our combined resources and experiences
The advanced meter management solution from IBM and Cisco is built on the combined strengths of two industry leaders.
- IBM is recognized as the worldwide leader in business and IT consulting services and transformational business solutions.
- Cisco's experience, gained from customer implementations in 89% of Fortune 500 companies and 95 of the top 100 service providers, has led to one of the most advanced Internet technology in the industry.
- IBM and Cisco have each implemented successful, innovative solutions within energy and utility companies of all sizes around the world.
- IBM's presence in 160 countries around the world combined with Cisco's presence in 115, means utility companies worldwide have the resources and responsiveness they need to implement and support this solution.
The benefits - Improve operations and resource planning
Our advanced meter management solution automates the collection and transport of meter information, allowing you to extract meaningful customer usage data to understand actual resource usage. The solution can help your energy or utility company:
- Improve workforce productivity and safety by automating tasks and limiting the amount of onsite work required.
- Identify and locate outages quickly to speed response times.
- Generate accurate load profiles for better resource planning.
- Motivate customers to limit resource usage by implementing load controls.
- Enable time-based customer billing to help reduce peak demand—reward customers for off-peak use and provide incentives to reduce peak consumption.
- Enable zero touch service—enable activation of control functions (curtailment, connect, disconnect) remotely.
- Improve reliability and response time to address regulatory and market pressures.
- Utilize better information to identify and terminate unauthorized use faster.
The approach - A vision of advanced meter management
Sending employees out to manually read meters can slow revenue collection and leave too much opportunity for utility theft. Automating the process would allow a utility to remotely connect and disconnect service, more efficiently monitor usage levels and reduce customer service costs. For a client like this, IBM and Cisco can replace traditional meters with automated electronic meters that link directly to their billing and customer service systems.
In this scenario, the utility's customers would reap significant advantages as the new solution would allow meters in customer homes to be entirely remotely managed. Customers would no longer be required to wait for a meter reader, and the company could accurately monitor consumption in real time. Over time, the solution would allow the company to introduce highly customized, flexible pricing options, bringing even more control over energy consumption to their customers.
The financial advantage - Speed revenue collection and reduce costs
The advanced meter management solution from IBM is designed to lower operational costs for energy and utility companies. The solution can help:
- Limit the costs of building expensive new power plants and expanding transmission capacity by implementing load controls based on accurate usage data.
- Enable remote service initiation and termination, as well as automated meter reading, which can reduce the need for expensive human resources in the field.
- Speed collection of revenue and enable time-based customer billing.
- Reduce the losses incurred due to unauthorized usage by improving theft detection.
Technical details
The issues - Build intelligence into your meters
Utility meters are the source of vital information about resource usage, but the data within them is difficult and costly to collect. Leveraging state-of-the-art systems that automate data collection and link meters with network infrastructure can mean substantial savings. The advanced meter management solution from IBM and Cisco Systems builds intelligence into traditionally "dumb" meters, transporting data and integrating information into business and operations systems quickly and easily.
The benchmark - Benefit from our leadership in infrastructure and security
IBM and Cisco offer proven success in delivering intelligent infrastructures to provide superior reliability and end-to-end network data in virtual real time.
- IBM's Energy and Utilities Solutions Framework has been validated with top energy and utilities companies and is focused on business transformation solutions that are adoptive, flexible and mitigate long-term risk.
- Cisco is the industry leader in core network infrastructure and advanced network technologies, including security, voice and IP communications, and wireless networking solutions.
- This joint solution combines IBM's leadership in enterprise security with Cisco's leadership in network security—we have integrated our security products to deliver an end-to-end network security solution that is manageable, scalable and integrated with overall IT security.
The components - Build on a combination of leading products and services
The advanced meter management solution from IBM and Cisco may include the following components.
- Cisco advanced network technologies—which converge voice, video and data applications onto a single platform, delivering it securely wherever people happen to be, whether on a line truck, a substation, a power plant or at the corporate office—including both wire-lines and wireless routers, switches, controllers and control servers.
- Cisco Joint Security Solution (IISSCN) Components, such as Cisco Trust Agent (Client), Cisco Security Agent (Client and Server) and NAC Compliant Routers and Switches.
- Intelligent management software, such as IBM Tivoli® Identity Manager, Tivoli Access Manager, Tivoli Security and Compliance Manager, Tivoli Compliance Manager.
- IBM WebSphere® Everyplace® Connection Manager, which efficiently extends existing applications to field workers over many different wireless and wireline networks.
- IBM Content Manager, a multi-tier, distributed architecture that provides the content infrastructure for this solution.
- IBM System servers, including IBM BladeCenter® servers, which feature an advanced, modular design that provides flexibility and scalability.
- IBM System Storage, a broad portfolio of proven storage options.
- Lenovo ThinkPad® notebook computers.
IBM offers several services to support the solution, including:
- IBM network consulting, integration and deployment.
- IBM mobility and wireless services.
- Server and storage services.
- Security consulting services.
The implementation - A comprehensive meter management system
IBM and Cisco could work with a utility client to implement a pilot advanced meter management project or replace hundreds of thousands of traditional meters spanning different geographic areas with automated "smart" meters. By building a comprehensive meter management system that links meters directly to the billing and customer service systems, utility companies would be able to take advantage of remote management and improved efficiency of services.
From a regulatory standpoint, this type of solution would support service continuity through customer site monitoring and automatic management extension on low-voltage networks, helping to reduce blackouts. It would also help the utility comply with government regulations regarding utility distributors' responsibilities with respect to the efficient use of electrical energy. The solution's network-monitoring capabilities would support load balancing and planned unbalancing, and they would also include a fraud/loss management mechanism. From a network optimization and investment management standpoint, the solution would provide a decision support tool that could help the company decide where and when it needs investments in the network.
The cost of ownership - Gain security, flexibility and reliability
The advanced meter management solution from IBM and Cisco is designed to help utilities lower costs. The solution:
- Leverages an intelligent, IP-enabled infrastructure to help dramatically improve infrastructure security and reliability.
- Helps replace unreliable, costly traditional meters with state-of-the-art, cost-effective meters.
- Offers flexibility and scalability, accommodating varying demand patterns.
- Provides robust data security features with encryption.
- Is designed to work with your existing infrastructure so you can leverage past investments.