How does IoT build smart meter infrastructure for utilities?

In the latest episode of Fibocast, Satyajit Sinha, Principal Analyst at IoT Analytics, hosts an in-depth conversation with Ragin KT, Country Manager of India at Fibocom. Together, they explore the transformative impact of IoT on smart metering. They cover a range of topics, from India’s Smart Meter National Program and government policies to the latest technologies in connectivity.

In this discussion, they provide an overview of the global rise of smart metering, examining the unique roles of 5G RedCap, Cat 1 bis, and AI-driven analytics in advancing energy efficiency and infrastructure. With insightful examples from India, Brazil, and other emerging markets, Ragin and Satyajit explain how these technologies enhance real-time data transmission, improve grid management, and empower consumers to make smarter energy choices.

Transcript

[00:00:00] 

Satyajit: Hi everyone. Welcome to Fibocast, the go to podcast for thought leaders, engineers, tech enthusiasts in the telecommunication industry. In Fibocast, we deep dive into transformative technologies shaping the future of connectivity. From the groundbreaking 5G communications to the unlimited potential of artificial intelligence and Internet of Things.

We explore how these innovations are transforming the way we communicate, operate, and grow.

My name is Satyajit Sinha. Feel free to call me Satya. I'm the host of today's smart metering Fibocast. I'm principal analyst, from IoT Analytics, we are market intelligence company providing market intelligence to end to end IoT ecosystem players. Today in this podcast, we have Ragin. Ragin, could you please introduce yourself and tell us about your role at Fibocom.

Ragin: Hey everyone, I'm Ragin, the Country Sales Manager of Fibocom Wireless Inc. right here in India. At Fibocom, we are all about delivering cutting edge IoT solutions that help business stay connected. So I'm really excited to share some insights, experiences, and the latest trends in wireless technology for smart metering with all of you today.

It's going to be a fantastic conversation, so be sure to tune in. To stick around and a big thank you to Satya for joining me on this chat as well. Thank you.

Satyajit: Thanks Ragin for your introduction. Just to start the conversation, around smart metering, it would be interesting to understand how smart meters are becoming essential worldwide and what are the key main drivers to pushing this implementation of smart energy solution globally.

Ragin: Well, the key drivers behind the global shift to smart energy solutions really boil down to a few things. [00:02:00] The need for a better energy efficiency, cutting carbon emissions and bringing renewable energy into the mix. Technology is also playing a big role with advancements in IoT, smart grids and real time data analytics.

We can manage energy much more efficiently. Plus, there is increasing pressure from regulations and growing demands from consumers for more sustainable practices, which is really speeding up the shift towards smart energy systems. Satya, feel free to jump in and share your thoughts on this as well.

Satyajit: Thanks. Thanks Ragin. I think it's important. The key aspect that you talked about is interesting. I see it differently. Like look, from a COVID 19 pandemic, it teaches us that, in-person interactions, it's something that create a lot of issues in, during the COVID 19 pandemic.

And if you look at a smart meter industry, in person [00:03:00] manual reading is one of the huge elements of, traditional metering industry and also a huge operational cost. From this aspect, when I see the digitalization movement that happened due to COVID 19 pandemic, or accelerated due to COVID 19 pandemic, I also see this, the trend of IoT based smart meter enable, is going much further than the right now what we are seeing.

And yes, policies and government initiatives are going to play a key role there, but I think It's a demand driven industry from the user's side of it as well, uh, from a government side of it as well.

As we're talking about the government and these demand of industry, how do you see the different drivers from different players in the industry: users, policymakers, power companies.

Ragin: Yeah, from a user's perspective, it's about, I would say it's more about saving money, being energy efficient and [00:04:00] having more control over how they use energy. Policymakers, like our government bodies, are looking at the bigger picture. How do we reduce carbon emissions, achieve sustainability goals and meet regulations. And then for power companies like, utility companies, the focus is on modernising the infrastructure, improving grid reliability and integrating renewable energy sources, all while managing the growing demand for energy more efficiently. So while everyone's goal overlap, each group has its own priorities when it comes to a smart energy ecosystem.

Satyajit: Interesting for me as well. I think the policy-making is, one of the key aspect of it. Right. And I've seen that the government initiatives have influenced many technologies over the period of time. And we have a lot of examples in the technology industry for the same. From policy standpoint, how government initiative [00:05:00] influencing the adoption of smart meters.

Ragin: Definitely, from a policy standpoint, the government initiative play a huge role in pushing the adoption of smart meters. A lot of governments are actually setting mandates and offering incentives to increase energy efficiency and cut down on carbon footprints. By promoting the rollout of smart meters, they are aiming to modernize energy grids, give as a real time data for smart meter energy management and help more renewable energy into the system.

These policies are doing more than just reducing energy consumption. They're also empowering consumer with the greater control and transparency over how they use energy. It's really helping speed up the shift towards their smarter, greener energy systems. 

Satyajit: Interesting, and obviously these policies have a much bigger role at the higher level, right? Obviously, [00:06:00] digital infrastructure, digitalization of any country. I think there's a huge aspect of building digital infrastructure, especially for smart grid perspective. What's your take on that?

Ragin: yeah, building a strong, fundamentally very strong digital infrastructure is absolutely the key when it comes to adopting a smart energy solutions is what allows us to integrate things like smart meter or any IoT devices and any advanced data analytics which gives us a real time monitoring and make energy management way more efficient.

With a solid digital infrastructure in place, we can also support smart grids, which really improves energy distribution and reliability. It's about creating a connected ecosystem where energy data can flow easily between consumers, utility companies, and the policymakers. This helps drive innovation [00:07:00] and makes the energy system more responsive and sustainable.

Without that digital backbone, the old shift to smart energy would definitely be slower and less effective.

Satyajit: Yeah, I think one of the key examples that come to my mind when we talk about digital infrastructure policymaking is India, and I'm talking about India specifically, because currently if we see in the install base of smart meters globally, As part analytics, what we see is the India is right now at the 11th rank, but as for cellular technology, it's ranked ninth.

However, when we forecast it, with the cellular technologies only, it came down to ranked two in 2030. So India is very crucial for, (and it's all driven by the electricity meter, by the way, generally) So India is very crucial, country for the overall development of the smart meters.

How do you see that the policies and government [00:08:00] initiative in is influencing the smart meters in India and what are the key programs and managers driving this growth?

Ragin: In India, we are seeing that policies and government initiatives are playing a huge role in the rapid growth of smart meters. For instance, the Smart Meter National Program, or we call it SMNP in short form, is all about replacing the conventional meters. With the smart ones. So this is really helping enhance building accuracy mainly and reduce the losses in the power transmission. Then we have initiatives like the Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana from the central government or shortly we call UDAY, which encourages state run utilities to adopt smart metering to boost operational efficiency.

Plus there is the Digital India campaign that promotes [00:09:00] technological advancements in energy management. All of these initiatives are not just about improving energy distribution. They're also supporting the integration of renewable energy. Together, they are paving the way of a more sustainable energy future in the country.

Satyajit: Yeah, that seems very interesting for the future of India's, digital infrastructure perspective also. However, India is not the only emerging country here, right? There are other emerging countries like in Latin America. We have seen a Brazil, right? How do you see the India's approach compared to rapidly growing markets?

Ragin: When we compare India to other rapidly growing markets, we see some interesting differences in India. There are a strong focus on large scale government initiatives and subsidies to really accelerate the adoption of smart meters. Programs like [00:10:00] the Smart Meter National Program, which I mentioned before, and UDAY are prime examples of this top down approach which aims to modernise the infrastructure and improve efficiency across the entire grid. On the other hand, markets like, you mentioned, China and Brazil are also investing in smart metering, but they often emphasise public and private partnership and technological innovation from the ground up.

China has been scaling up with the smart technology rapidly, thanks to aggressive investments and robust manufacturing capabilities. Meanwhile, Brazil has taken a different route with the various pilot programs that cater a localized solution addressing specific regional needs. Overall, While all these markets share our common goal of enhancing energy efficiency, relatively India's emphasis on government led [00:11:00] initiatives really sets it apart.

It's a unique approach to tackling challenges like power theft and outdated infrastructure in India.

Satyajit: Interesting. Like even I see the Indian market and compare it to the Brazil and different countries, I think I see a push and pull mix in India because there is a push from a government initiative, which you clearly mentioned. And I also see there is a pull from a power companies to create the demand of it because for them, it is among the key infrastructure, development and the key element of their digital infrastructure, smart grid technologies, which is dependent upon right or smart metering.

And in Brazil and in Latin America, we see a, like a pull approach from private partnership, as you say, private public partnership, where it's coming from a more of a user side. And then it has a ripple effect from a government side to do, to create some initiatives.

Very interesting approach for India. [00:12:00] But I think it's also important to at the same time to understand that it's not going to be done by only one entity like government, like there are many players, many players in this role, there's a huge ecosystem, right? So who are the key players in India's smart meter market? Who are the upstream entities like government and power companies and who are in the downstream players like meter manufacturers.

Ragin: Yeah. Let's take a closer look at the key players in the smart metering landscape in India. Starting with, as you mentioned, upstream entities like, government, government is one of the key player in this. The Indian government is a major driver here, shaping policy frameworks like the smart meter national program.

They provide the guidelines and funding, mainly that's the key, funding to increase the deployment of smart meters. And then the next level, the power companies like state run utilities are also crucial [00:13:00] in this process. They implement smart metering projects, manage script operations, and ensure that these meters are effectively integrated to the existing infrastructure. Now moving to the downstream place, meter manufacturers, companies like L&T Larsen & Toubro, Siemens or HPL, Genus Power, there are many electric meter manufacturer or gas meter manufacturer are at the front point of manufacturing smart meters.

They develop innovative technologies that not only meet the regulatory standards but also cater to consumer needs. And the third position, the technology providers. We have firms that specialize in software and analytics offering solutions for data management and integration. They help utilities to make the most of the data collected by smart meters.

Together, these upstream and downstream players [00:14:00] are collaborating to enhance. Energy efficiency and improve service reliability in India's rapidly evolving smart metering landscape. It's a fascinating ecosystem that's really driving change in India.

Satyajit: Interesting. Like, and I also understood that then that then you guys like Fibocom and cellular model players come into the technology providers, which are, you know, partnering with meter manufacturers, you know, to deploy these devices in the, in the market.

Ragin: Yes, yes, exactly. So we provide the communication front end and we approach the technology providers with our solutions, where we have them to make the communication between the infrastructure, the utility companies and consumer, with more smooth ways.

Satyajit: Talking about the utility companies and infrastructure, I want to understand also that how [00:15:00] these smart meters are improving the billing system. What's the input of their energy efficiency? What is the role of their in all these, specifically for utility companies we talk about.

Ragin: Yeah. Well, the smart meters bring a lot of benefits, to the table for consumers or starters, they provide the real time data on energy use, which means building can be automated and super accurate. No more manual meter reading and way fewer errors and disputes. That kind of transparency really helps build trust with customers.

When it comes to energy efficiency, smart meters let utilities monitor and manage demand more effectively. They can pinpoint peak usage times and optimize how energy is distributed. Plus, they help detect power theft and reduce technical losses, making energy delivery more reliable and efficient. So, at the end of the day, smart meters not only [00:16:00] help utilities better services, but also improve the overall performance of the grid.

Satyajit: Interesting. Obviously, every implementation of new technology faces a lot of challenges. And we have seen in many of the technology implementation, and this is something, like a migration of a standard electric meter solution to smart meter solution. Right. So. What are the key challenges that you see, from power companies to implementing the smart meter solution?

Ragin: Well, one of the big challenge, the companies face smart meters is the high upfront cost of deploying them and upgrading the necessary infrastructure. So our existing infrastructure, sometimes it's not enough for, implement a new, smart technology.

It's not just about installing the meters. Other than that, integrating this system with the existing grids can be pretty complex and requires a lot of technical expertise. [00:17:00] We also see some resistance from the consumers who are very of new technology or changes in how they are built, and let's not forget the issue of consistent network connectivity, especially in rural areas.

If I take an example in rural areas of India, that can be a real hurdle, but addressing these barriers is a crucial if we want to unlock all the benefits that smart metering can offer.

Satyajit: Interesting, but these are the benefits or the challenges they faced by the power companies, but when we talk about benefits or the from a user point of view, like what a user of smart meter, what does reliable services can get from implementing a smart meter.

Ragin: The smart meters really shine when it comes to providing real time data on energy usage. This enables utility companies [00:18:00] to quickly detect and respond to outages or faults in the grid. Which leads to the faster restoration times and if you were prolonged disruptions, they also play a crucial role in managing demand more efficiently, helping to ensure a stable energy supply, even during the peak times, plus a smart meter, empower customer to track their own energy consumption. So that is very important that as a consumer or a customer point of view, if I'm able to know what is the energy I'm using per day, that I can well manage the energy consumption, right? So encouraging more mindful usage and helping to prevent overloads.

It's a win-win for both utilities and consumers. 

Satyajit: Yes, Interesting. Because one of my friends in India, we talked about  the prepaid services of the smartmeters and they were [00:19:00] interesting to him because, for the student, who are paying rent and all day, it is an important to track your own power consumption and you decide your own budget.

I was very fascinated hear about these things because that technology is becoming so digitally advanced now that, it gives you the per day usage of the power consumption. It is very interesting. And you get it in your, in a phone app, basically that's much more user friendly as well. So it's very interesting developments.

Ragin: Yes.

Satyajit: We have deep dive into the, a lot of the key topics here already, but. Just for our listener, let's take a step, step back, right. And try to understand what IoT enabled is and how they really work.

Ragin: Yeah. Well, many of our listeners are already well aware about IoT, but, still, in the smart meter point of view, let's again,  just jump into this topic. IoT enabled smart meters are a game changer, actually. [00:20:00] In energy management, they use IoT to communicate. The internet of things to communicate, uh, real time data between consumers and utility companies.

Unlike traditional meters that require manual readings, that the smart meter automatically sends usage data over wireless networks. Here is how it works: the meter collects the data, on energy consumption and transit that information to utility companies, which helps with accurate billing and better grid management.

This two way communication also allows the utility to monitor the grid in real time, detect outages more quickly, and even adjust energy distribution as needed. For consumers. These smart meters offer valuable insights into their energy usage, empowering them to manage their consumption more effectively, as I mentioned before.

All our IoT enabled smart meters bring greater [00:21:00] accuracy, transparency, and control to the entire energy system.

Satyajit: And yes, and then there are, different ways of communication right there earlier days, there was AMR, which was like only one way of communication just to recording it. And now we have advanced meeting infrastructure, which is basically two way of communication enabled.

Very interesting development.

Ragin: Yes.

Satyajit: How do these meters differ from each other? Specifically, when we talk about electricity, water, gas utilities, are the key differentiators between these meters?

Ragin: Well, uh, this are actually quite simple. Smart meters, we, commonly we call it as smart meters. Actually very quite a bit, depending on whether they are used for electricity, water, or gas utilities. For electricity, smart meters measure energy consumption. In kW/h and provide real time data, which helps with the quick outage detection and gives detailed insights [00:22:00] into usage patterns.

Water meters, like I can say water smart meters, on the other hand, track water flow in gallons or liters or often come with a leak detection features, which really helps promote conservation efforts. Then we have gas meters. which measures gas usage in cubic meters or therms. These are equipped with the safety features to detect leaks and monitor pressure.

While all of this smart meter enhance efficiency and building accuracy. Each type is built with specifically designed to meet the uniqueness of its respective utility. It's fascinating how tailored technology can really make a difference in resource management. Yeah. Apart from that, I would like to add, What makes it smart in this smart meter things? Okay, we [00:23:00] call everything from the traditional things to smart things now, right? So let's break down some of the key components of the smart meters. Like a smart meter will be have definitely need a communication modules because it's always going to communicate with outer world or with the customer or the utilities.

So communication module enable two way data transmission between the meter. And the utility companies allowing, for a seamless information exchange. Then additionally, there will be sensors. They play a crucial role by accurately measuring consumption and detecting issues like leakages or outages in the, in a water meter or gas meter.

And there will be another important role. Driven by data analytic software, because whatever the information we collect from the consumer side, it has to be processed. So this process and that usage of data providing valuable insights to [00:24:00] consumption patterns, then the user interfaces. These are the really handy for consumers as they allow them to monitor their energy or water use in real time.

So remote monitoring capabilities. This feature lets utilities to access the data and respond quickly to any issue in that device.

Satyajit: I think you have highlighted all the bombs, which is, which we basically calculate when we see the smart meters. And, and I agree. Yes. Smart communication models are the key part. It's also important. Some of the, our listeners will understand that these models are basically based on cellular chipsets basically provided by the key companies like Qualcomm, Yes and these guys, and then you guys come into the picture and implement these modules, which are the key backbones these smart meters. 

So I'm also agree with your data analytics software and, and then, which also lead to the platforms basically, because these smart meters somehow basically [00:25:00] you need to read the data that is coming from these smart meters.

So I think platform is also a key element of these infrastructures and which makes them basically bundle into one IoT solution.

Ragin: Yes. And I also think the user interface is very important because that give privilege for the consumer to read their own usage in a daily basis and manage accordingly. Like you mentioned, you given an example before about your friend who want to control the budget by seeing his usage. So it's important.

So since you are looking at the market from such a holistic perspective, I would like to hear your thoughts on the trends we are seeing in the global smart metering market. So could you highlight any key technologies that are really driving growth in, regions like EMEA, North America, Latin America, and also include APAC and based on this current trends, what kind of [00:26:00] forecast can we make for the future?

Satyajit: Yeah. That's a very good question. Because, let's look at the, you know, smart meter market very holistically beyond cellular and everything. If you see by 2023, we cross the 1 billion mark and we are, and I'm only calculating the AMI only, not the AMRs, then. It's by 2023, it finished 1 billion mark, and we expect that by 2030, it will cross around 1. 7 billion mark in terms of install base. And then again, it is the only the AMI side, not the AMR. But when we include both of them, from a technology point of view, this was the key. Trend that I've seen, that AMR is a transition to AMI now and the, apart from cellular technologies, there are other technologies who are getting a [00:27:00] lot of traction, from LoRaWAN technologies, Sigfox technologies as well. 

Coming down to the, when we talk about regional changes, what is happening in the regional side, Asia Pacific is the leading region for the deployments of smart meters. And one the key country that has been deploying the most of the smart meter is China, and is a leading player there and obviously electricity meter is driving that growth and when we could talk about cellular technologies,  specifically for smart meters in China, NBIoT is the key technology there. It has been driven the whole ecosystem of smart meters there. Coming to Europe,  Europe is driven both by electricity meter and gas meter equally.  They both share almost 48 percent gas meters, electricity meter, 42 percent but again, the key technology in cellular, it [00:28:00] is not NBIoT there it's LTE-M. All we work from a model side, what we are seeing is basically LPWA dual mode deployments. When we say dual mode is basically the models is capable of either LTE-M and, or NBIoT. And yes Europe. In when we see the Europe market to grow with, there is an opportunity for Europe to grow more in LTE-M compared to NBIoT.

Uh, when we talk about North America and Latin America, both are dominated by the electricity meters and yes and AMI is becoming one of the key trends there. Again, LTE-M is one of the key drivers and technologies rather than NBIoT. Yes, they are. We started to see a slow integration of NBIoT technology as well in the, North America market and Latin America market.

And yes, when we talk about these market movements, I think one of the key part is the [00:29:00] and I will again talk about China and India because they will be the major drivers going forward as well. China will grow at 18% of KGA between 2023 to 2030, where India will grow at 54% of KGA between 2023 and 2030, which clearly gives us the, uh, the volume of India is gonna drive, uh, for smart meters.

Ragin: Okay.

Satyajit: Yep.

Ragin: Yeah, that's a really interesting information, what you have provided, Satya. So, since you are talking more, like, uh, from, from your words that we understand that now, The cellular connectivity part, like a smart meter connectivity portion, it's the more,  moving towards or it's already the highest share comes to the cellular technology here. So, what is your thought on the shutdown of 2G and 3G networks? [00:30:00] Because in India, it's a very hot topic now that I'm curious how the industry is adopting these changes. Also, along with this, can you just elaborate on the evolution towards the CAT 1 bis technology and CAT-M particularly in the 450MHz spectrum?

And so if you could share more about the implications of these technologies for smart metering that would be great!

Satyajit: I think this is one of the key questions that everybody's asking in the market right now. And yes, 2G, 3G network shutting down and eventually it will extinct, even if some of the countries in the world are keeping it there, the spectrum for them. But. It's going to go shut down at some point of time.

And it's not new. We know this from, many years ago. And then that's where the rise of LPWA technology came into the picture. When we talk about LPWA technology from LTE-M and NBIoT perspective, [00:31:00] and that was the major driven reason that these technologies going to shut down that you need to start implementing this solution today, because these smart meters as are for, not for one year or two year, they have a lifespan of five to six years, eight years, 10 years, some of the places.

So if you start implementing 2G, 3G today, at some point of time, you have to replace them and it's, it's added cost on. So, and that was the reason like few years ago, we see a huge adoption of LTE-M and NBIoT technologies coming to the picture. And I think it, again, it's important to also address the, you know, the price point of these modules when they came into the market was compared to 2G 3G, they were a bit high.

However, right now there is no difference anymore between the NBIoT chip sets and modules between a 2G, 3G modules. That is the power of scalability of the technology, right? So you [00:32:00] scale it technology at a level that you make it, from a price point at such a easier to adopt and much faster to adopt.

So that's the two key cellular technologies that I see being adopted for,  especially in the migration of two to three technologies. Now, when we talk about Cat 1 bis, is a very interesting, storyline because Cat 1 has been there for years and years with two antennas, with three 3GPP release, seven, I guess, Yeah.

And then release, release 13 came into the picture and then Cat 1 bis with one antenna with lower capability of Cat 1 came into the picture and totally different price point. It's much lower price. And that was the major driven for Cat 1 bis technology again. And we all know China doesn't have LTE-M.

China only have NBIoT. There are a few of the places where you required not to be NBIoT, Cat 1 bis [00:33:00] becomes the alternative. And we see a rise in Cat 1 bis specifically from China. And that has been a ripple effect in Europe as well now, in Latin America as well now. And in North America's are also demanding now Cat 1 bis, because it's a technology that you can use in your existing network infrastructure.

You don't have to deploy a separate network infrastructure for that. And that's a,  it's a win-win scenario for operators as well. So Cat 1 bis technology. Yes. It's a much faster growing, most fastest growing technology right now in the cellular IoT models. If we talk about shipments, much faster technology to grow, talking about Cat-M at 450 megahertz spectrum, it is the meant for smart metering, I would say like it has been meant for smart meeting industry specifically because of lower battery capacity where you have low power consumption capability, Longer coverage like means and yes Cat-M have to compete with NBIoT [00:34:00] in few of the regions, but where there is no NBIoT, I think Cat-M makes much more sense, especially in 450 megahertz spectrum. Yeah. This is basically what I think, but feel free to add on onto that.

Ragin: What I'm thinking here also, why India is more, like in Indian perspective, why India is more adopting a Cat 1 bis, I assume, that it can work on existing infrastructure. There no need any additional infrastructure investment on this technology. So it is easy for the technology providers to, or the government, or the utility company out of this technology. 

Satyajit: Yeah. Cat 1 bis, has a much more advantage basically from infrastructure perspective.

Ragin: Yes. Right.

Satyajit: I'm talking about the key connective technologies. Um, let's discuss quickly on the transition to 4G to 5G and how it's impacting smart meters.

Ragin: Very good [00:35:00] question that we already discussed about 3G to 4G migration. Now it's the right time to discuss about 4G to 5G migration because 5Gs are getting more popular right now. So the transition from 4G to 5G is really making waves in the smart metering places. But even if it is not in India right now, but I See globally, this, this is becoming a trend, with the 5G, we are seeing enhanced connectivity, speed, and data handling capabilities.

So 5G networks offer, lower latency and higher bandwidth, which means That we can have a real time data transmission from a smart meter directly to the utility companies. This translates to faster response times of outage management and more accurate billing based on the real time usage data.

Plus, the 5G networks can support a much larger [00:36:00] number of connected devices. Making it easier to integrate more IoT devices into smart grids. The shift to 5G is set to improve the efficiency, reliability, and scalability of smart meter systems. It's truly paving the way for smart meter energy management solutions.

Satyajit: In the context of smart meters, I think 5G RedCap make more sense rather than 5G advanced, because 5G advanced is a higher bandwidth use in different applications, which you clearly mentioned, but when we're talking about smart meter solution, I think 5G RedCap make more sense.

Ragin: Yes, 5G RedCap, let's talk about that, expand topic. We will understand what it is. It’s reduced the capability so the technology is being 5G, but the capability of, the device is reduced. So this is a 5G technology that has been designed to offer a more efficient [00:37:00] and cost effective solution.

It's a very cost effective solution for IoT devices that does not really need the high bandwidth of traditional 5G. What's great about RedCap is that it strikes a balance between performance and the power consumption, which makes it perfect for applications like smart metering solutions. It's all about providing the right level of connectivity without overspending on capabilities that are not necessary.

When it comes to smart meters, 5G RedCap really shines by enabling reliable data transmission with the lower cost and energy requirements. This capability allows utilities to connect to more devices efficiently, which is especially beneficial for large scale deployments with smart meters, needing to communicate usage data frequently.

5G RedCap ensures that this does not [00:38:00] strain the network resources. Ultimately it enhances the scalability and the functionality of smart metering ecosystem, which is crucial as we see a growing demand of smart energy management solutions. It's all about making our energy system smarter and more efficient.

Satyajit: 5G RedCap was surprised to me to be very honest. Like when I saw, when read about is a technology specification, I meant it to be like, it's equal to Cat 1 right now. And it's supporting video...

Ragin: I would like to say it's not equal to Cat 1 right now, but, it will be, Cat 4 or Cat 6. But when we compare with the traditional 5G, 5G right now, it is good enough for infrastructure, like a smart meter infrastructure communication.

Satyajit: Correct. Do you see 5G RedCap becoming a standard for smart meters in near future?[00:39:00] 

Ragin: Absolutely. Because 5G RedCap is poised to become a standard for smart meter in the near future. It's a high speed, low latency and the capacity to connect a vast number of devices make it perfect for real time data transmission and efficient grid management as utility companies looking to enhance reliability and scalability in their smart meeting system, the adoption of 5G technology will be enabled more robust and efficient energy management solutions. This transition is really going to transform the way we monitor and consume energy and it has an exciting, time for energy sector, absolutely.

Satyajit: Yeah, I think I'm more looking forward for enhanced RedCap technologies to be very honest. Like I see an answer at Cat is the sweet spot going forward. Um, [00:40:00] yes, it's not there yet, but I think from a 3GPP specification, when I see, I think, and as that gap makes sense a lot, in the smart meter industry and, and specifically from a price point perspective and a lifespan of smart meters perspective,

Ragin: Right. Exactly.

I was just getting into the, while bringing it together, what are the, we are seeing growing emphasis on, integrating advanced technologies like 5G and IoT interval systems. So these innovations really enhance, connectivity and the data analytics capabilities by leveraging these technologies We can really improve our real time communication capacity and gain, deeper insights into the energy usage and ultimately, it's going to create more efficient energy management solutions. It's all about, hastening the power of these advancements to optimize how we [00:41:00] monitor and manage energy resources, because The future is the energy. Our future energy usage should be managed very wisely. So, integrating these advanced technologies to our daily energy utilizing life will be very important in the today and near future.

Satyajit: Interesting. Any key innovation that you see in the recent times, which is going to impact or make changes in smart meter ecosystem?

Ragin: Recent innovations in the smart meeting space are really, exciting ones actually one, the key development, is the integration of artificial intelligence and the machine learning for productive analytics. This technology allows utilities to anticipate demand to optimize energy distribution, which is a game changer.

We are also [00:42:00] witnessing the emergence of advanced user interfaces that enable consumers to track their energy usage in real time. Empowers them to make more informed decisions about their consumption. It's all about enhancing efficiency and providing greater control to both, utilities and consumers in the energy sector.

Satyajit: Yeah, for sure. AI has not, AI has not been there AI now. So obviously Edge AI, yes, Edge AI makes sense. Smart meters with Edge AI capabilities. We'll have, specifically when the AI is now at a tiny ML aspect, it make a lot of sense. 

From my perspective, I see eSIM and iSIM a key technology innovation, which is, again, it's not specifically to smart meters.

It's for cellular technologies, but I clearly see that it is so much beneficial from smart meter perspective. I'm telling you why, because one of the key [00:43:00] examples that I see in one of the case study that I cannot name them, but one of the operators changed their price point and then the power company had to switch from one operator to another operator. The problem with these is these, when you, if you use a physical SIM, you have to manually change it. It's going to be nightmare for those, power companies. And…

Ragin: a huge investment, right?

Satyajit: Huge investment and hence eSIM and iSIM make a lot of sense because you in a, in a switch of a button, you can basically change an operator and you don't have to worry about the price point of an operator because if someone changed the price point, you can switch an operator in a, within a minute of your hundreds and thousands of deployments and it's a much more smoother process. So I see, eSIM and iSIM technology as a game changing for smart meters, specifically from power companies.

Ragin: Yes.

Satyajit: As we are talking about AI and ML, do you think, [00:44:00] how these innovations, address the current challenges in the industry, specifically when we are talking about AI and ML?

Ragin: For instance, AI and machine learning are really enhancing demand forecasting, which helps utilities, manage supply more effectively and reduce outages. On the consumer side, advanced user interfaces like, a are empowering people with real time insights into their energy usage. This promotes energy conservation and encourages smarter consumption habits, within consumers.

And let's not forget about the role of 5G technology. It, facet, like a seamless communication between devices. Which significantly enhances grid reliability and scalability. Together, like AI and 5G, these innovations are helping to create a more resilient and efficient energy [00:45:00] ecosystem. It's an exciting time to be in this space right now.

Satyajit: Great. We had covered a lot already in past few minutes, I think, just wanted to conclude this and understand this in summary, if we talk about the future of smart metering, IoT in energy sector, what's your perspective, you know, what are the emerging technology you see, Like, it just to conclude everything, in a nutshell.

Ragin: Yeah, like it's a big topic, but to summarize our discussion, the future of smart metering, what I think, and IoT in the energy sector is looking really promising. We have several emerging technologies and trends on the horizon. Advancements in AI machine learning and the blockchain are set to enhance our data processing and improve transparency in energy transactions.

The integration of 5G or any network, like right now, if I talk to the CAT 1 bis [00:46:00] or any cellular technologies, will also play a crucial role by improving connectivity, allowing more devices to communicate seamlessly within smart grids. So these deployments are going to significantly shape consumer experiences by providing real time insights into energy usage, fostering proactive energy management and encouraging sustainable practice within the consumers.

For the industry, these technologies will streamline operations, boost grid resilience, and, facilitate the integration of renewable energy sources. Overall, the evolution of smart metering and IoT set to create a more efficient, reliable and consumer friendly energy landscape. It's an exciting time to be a part of this transformation.

And, to be a part of the company who also give technologies to, this kind of [00:47:00] infrastructure.

Satyajit: I completely agree with you. Like when I see smart future, smart meters is like one of the key IoT devices, every household, everyone have it, driving the smart grid technologies, smart infrastructure, digital infrastructure, and also from, smart energy perspective. And I think, and cellular technologies are the backbone of it connecting from, NBIoT to LTE-M, Cat 1 bis and 5G RedCap or enhanced RedCap. You see it. But Great. Thank you Ragin for sharing your valuable insight. Thank you for a great discussion.

Ragin: Thank you. Thank you, Satya. This has been a great discussion. For anyone interested, learning more, feel free to visit our website, Fibocom.com website, or reach out to us directly. We would love to connect and share more about our initiatives on this matter.

Satyajit: Great. Thank you everyone for [00:48:00] listening. To hear more join the Fibocast, Fibocom's new podcast coming soon to www.IoT-Now.com. Look out for more details on the Fibocast on social media and web channels. Thank you everyone.

Ragin: Thank you.