Digi Routers Improve Smart Meter Monitoring and Management

Overview | North Carolina Membership Organization Provides Services to 1.2 Million Clients

An established North Carolina-based membership organization extends a range of essential services. These services encompass customer support and safety training, rapid response and technical aid, government relations and legal counsel, as well as robust communication channels.

These services are extended to a network comprising 90 member municipalities and a vast clientele of 1.2 million individuals across North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. Furthermore, the organization plays a pivotal role by providing management services to North Carolina's two municipal Power Agencies.

Challenge

Delivering Connectivity While Mitigating Risk Of Lightning Strikes

The organization manages an extensive network spanning thousands of square miles, collating data from various meters and telemetry equipment. This enables the provision of comprehensive communication and management services to its member utilities. The conventional approach, which involved installing copper 56k circuits at each site, proved to be economically unviable and raised the risk of damage from lightning strikes.

Seeking an alternative communication method, such as fiber optics, would mitigate the lightning strike hazard, but it remained prohibitively expensive and excessive for the relatively modest bandwidth requirements of each site.

Connectivity for Electric Meter Monitoring

Solution

Digi International Routers Offers Reliability and Flexibility

Faced with a diverse array of meters in the field and a critical need for dependable and secure data communication for meter polling, the organization sought an LTE solution that could meet their stringent requirements. They needed a solution to maintain a stable network connection for frequent meter readings while accommodating devices from various manufacturers, including Schneider, Itron, JEMStar, and SEL.

The IX30 router from Digi International emerged as the ideal choice, offering a perfect blend of reliability and flexibility. This was demonstrated through rigorous VPN performance and HALT testing, further reinforced by a 5-year warranty. The router's software-defined multicarrier support allowed it to seamlessly switch between Verizon, AT&T, and all other North American LTE carriers, providing the organization with the versatility and reliability it needed to support its diverse metering infrastructure.

Results

Acquisition of Real-Time Data With Reliable Connectivity

The organization achieved substantial annual savings of over $300,000 in telemetry charges through the implementation of Digi IX30, an intelligent 4G LTE router, and Digi IX20, a compact and cost-effective industrial router. These devices enabled the acquisition of real-time data from substation meters and generators in the field.

Additionally, the organization discovered that Digi LTE routers consistently maintained a more reliable VPN connection compared to the cellular modems they had previously employed. The adoption of Digi International technology yielded significant cost reductions across the network. Lightning strike-related expenses were reduced by $20,000 per site annually by utilizing wireless routers. Finally, the decreased need for troubleshooting and equipment repairs and reduced maintenance contracts generated an additional yearly savings of $30,000 per site.

Benefits

Improved Reliability and Huge Cost Savings

The implementation of Digi IX30 and IX20 routers brought several significant benefits to the organization. It led to significant cost reductions in telemetry charges and lightning strike-related expenses, improved network reliability, reduced maintenance overhead, and ensured uninterrupted real-time data acquisition from field devices.

Annual Cost Savings

The organization achieved substantial annual savings of over $300,000 in telemetry charges by adopting Digi LTE routers, providing a more cost-effective means of data transmission than previous solutions.

Improved Reliability

Digi LTE routers consistently maintained a more reliable VPN connection compared to cellular modems, ensuring uninterrupted data communication. This enhanced reliability minimized downtime and operational disruptions.

Reduced Lightning Strike Expenses

The utilization of wireless routers substantially reduced lightning strike-related expenses, saving $20,000 per site annually. This was achieved by reducing the vulnerability of equipment to lightning-induced damage.

Lower Troubleshooting and Repair Costs

The decreased need for troubleshooting and equipment repairs, facilitated by the reliability of Digi LTE routers, resulted in an additional yearly savings of $30,000 per site. This reduction in maintenance costs enhanced operational efficiency.

About MCA and Our CNS Team

MCA is one of the largest and most trusted integrators in the United States, offering world-class voice, data, and security solutions that enhance the quality, safety, and productivity of customers, operations, and lives. More than 65,000 customers trust MCA to provide carefully researched solutions for a safe, secure, and more efficient workplace.

Our Cellular Networking Solutions (CNS) team (formerly known as USAT) is made up of certified experts in designing and deploying fixed and mobile wireless data connectivity solutions for public and private enterprises nationwide - complete with implementation, training, proof of concept (POC), system auditing, and on-site RF surveying services with optional engineering maintenance contracts.

Our extensive catalog of world-class routers, gateways, and software designed for remote monitoring and management in even the harshest environments allows us to deliver a full suite of reliable technologies capped with a service-first approach.