Verizon (NYSE: VZ) has teamed up with Honeywell (NYSE: HON) to help utilities speed up and simplify the deployment of new communication-enabled, intelligent sensors and controls for the smart electric grid. By integrating Verizon’s Managed Connectivity LTE solutions into Honeywell’s next-generation smart meters and other electric, gas, and water solutions, the two companies will drive energy savings by more quickly deploying smart electric grid technologies. These technologies allow consumers to use energy at the optimum time and help utilities manage and plan for peak demand.
Combining Managed Connectivity, which will be offered as a service on Verizon’s LTE network, with Honeywell Smart Energy software, hardware and services, the collaboration will provide utility companies with a highly scalable, fully managed, open computing and communications platform to help them manage operations efficiently and safely deliver new services to their customers.
The platform will include features important to utilities, including:
- Strong device identity and security,
- Dynamic network authorization and access,
- Device and application discovery,
- Remote device monitoring and management,
- Modem firmware and application upgrades,
- Real-time device diagnostics, and
- Simplified supply-chain and data access.
“Working with Honeywell on these next-generation solutions will enable the reliability and scalability of the communications needed to deliver smart metering, manage distributed energy resources, conserve water, and make the digital world work better for utilities and consumers,” said Jay Olearain, director, Enterprise Products and IoT at Verizon. “Our Connected Utilities solutions bring connectivity and computing capabilities to all kinds of IoT devices, helping companies like Honeywell grow their leadership positions in the utilities space and expand their business models into new market opportunities.”
The open secure edge computing and networking platform enables Honeywell to incorporate sophisticated technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning into its meters. The two companies are also working to explore how 5G can transform the utility industry through higher bandwidth, faster speeds and low latency, enabling advanced industrial automation and control solutions along with real-time analytics.
“The Honeywell portfolio of utility applications and analytics expands with the new capabilities of wireless IoT,” said Ann Perreault, director, Connected Utilities, Honeywell Smart Energy. “By taking advantage of an already built, cellular infrastructure, our utility customers can more quickly deploy new capabilities based on interoperable communications, allowing them to facilitate innovation. This means that it is easier and more cost effective for utilities to apply analytics to plan for energy demand and to integrate emerging new technologies including micro-renewable generation, electric vehicles, battery storage and semi-autonomous control into the next evolution of the grid.”
The availability of Verizon Managed Connectivity firmware within LTE network interface cards and LTE edge server routers accelerates the development of a new and innovative digital ecosystem of utility connected devices on LTE at scale.
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