Telekom Austria launches smart metering platform as a service

Operator group Telekom Austria has launched a smart metering platform designed as a software as a service (SaaS) solution.

Telekom Austria Group said that it will be responsible for the IT infrastructure, the software and the maintenance work on the platform. Electric utility providers will be able to use it as a service by paying a monthly flat fee. This will enable them to reduce investment, minimize risks and achieve economies of scale, the group said.

The solution, dubbed Smartify, offers customers a risk-free entry into the smart metering market without requiring one-off investments, according to Bernd Liebscher, managing director at Telekom Austria Group M2M.

“Customers can therefore concentrate on their core business and rely on professional support from the Telekom Austria Group, which provides secure networking solutions,” he said.

The group said that the solution is tailored to the Austrian energy market, which is characterised by a relatively low number of meter points per power supply company. The platform is technologically neutral, supports different metering device suppliers and access technologies and can be applied also to gas, district heating and water.

“Smartify was specifically designed to meet the demands of the Austrian market, it is the most cost-efficient solution currently available on the market and complies with all legal requirements,” added Liebscher. “The introduction of smart metering allows for great synergies between telcos and power supply companies, enabling unparalleled cooperation between these two industries.”