New consortium to streamline smart meter rollout

SmartReach recommends that smart meter networks be future-proofed and given the title of Critical National Infrastructure

Smart meter consortium to streamline rollout

Communications heavyweights BT and Arqiva have joined forces with information specialist Detica and launched a new smart metering consortium called SmartReach.

The consortium will help deliver the biggest ongoing IT project across Britain – an end-to-end smart meter initiative to deliver gas and electricity to every household.

The project will see meters rolled out to 26 million homes by 2020, and the project is designed to reduce energy costs and lower the carbon dioxide emissions by 2.6 million tonnes per year.

The companies are able to combine their respective experience in delivering national communications solutions, data services and secure systems, and running a critical national infrastructure.

SmartReach has already delivered a series of recommendations regarding the deployment of smart meters. It has recommended:

• The creation of a single network based on a mixed portfolio of service provider contracts. It argues that this reduces the system integration risk. This network should aim to reach even remote customers, even if this requires interim solutions initially.
• The procurement of service provision should start in early 2011, giving a long lead time.
• A robust security framework from the off, as retrofitting would be expensive.
• The network, which should be classified as a Critical National Infrastructure, should be future-proofed to support water and other meters going forward.

Olivia Garfield, BT group strategy director, said at today’s launch: " SmartReach believes this programme of delivering smart meters to domestic and non-domestic consumers in Great Britain can be simultaneously accelerated and de-risked while delivering substantial financial and carbon benefits. Our analysis led us to conclude that a secure nationwide long-range, radio-based solution was the only viable way of ensuring that all consumers benefit from smart meters."