M2Mi3provides machine-to-machine, machine-to-mobile enabling technologies, applications and platforms which support various industry segments in partnership with telecom operators, system integrators, hardware and software vendors and M2M application developers.
As per the terms of this agreement, M2Mi3 will deploy Symstream (
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Alert)-enabled smart meters to the Philippines metering market. Initially, both the companies are planning to install the smart meter in five million homes in the first year of the rollout. Over the next three years, the companies forecast the smart meter to be in approximately 30 million homes.
The new Symstream-enabled smart meter, as stated, will offer a solution to utilities looking to adapt to the changing power industry environment in the Philippines. The smart meter will be installed in residential homes, with the choice of a postpaid meter or a prepaid meter.
“Symstream is now applying its proven secure, reliable and fully managed wireless technology to a new vertical market -- the Automated Meter Reading (AMR) market,” said Mark Telkes, vice president of the Asia Pacific region, Symstream. “Symstream-enabled smart meters will reduce overhead cost and provide accurate real-time meter reading, as well as allow corporations to better monitor, plan, report and budget for their power requirements.”
As a post-paid meter, the smart meter is said to communicate with the meter data management back-end through Symstream’s GSM technology. The voice channel is the most widely rolled out GSM channel in the Philippines, which is said to assure the availability of data connectivity wherever local GSM operators work.
“This strategic alliance between M2Mi3 and Symstream allows both companies to focus on their respective strengths while delivering a superior and seamless solution to customers,” said Ariel R. Dela Cruz, chairman and CEO of M2Mi3. “The primary advantages of this solution are cost savings, replacing the need for costly human meter readers, and high availability, where hard-to-access areas can be remotely read for either safety or commercial reasons. We believe that these advantages will ensure we continue providing the highest quality of service to existing and potential customers throughout the Philippines.”
The Symstream Group is a technology company focused on delivering wireless solutions.
Reportedly, the target market for the Symstream technology is initially the financial transaction sector, serving the likes of banks and other financial service providers with a standardized, reliable, fast and low-cost wireless service that can be used to connect fleets of ATM’s, eftPOS machines and also mobile payments services, cost effectively utilizing the region’s existing GSM voice-network infrastructure.
Jai C.S. is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Jai's articles, please visit his columnist page.Edited by
Marisa Torrieri