AT&T To Offer Wireless Smart Grid Technology To Utility Companies

AT&T combines new service plans with SmartSynch's SmartMetering(TM) solutions to bring smart grid technology to the home

DALLAS, March 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AT&T* today announced a new alternative for electric utility companies looking to provide the benefits of smart grid technology to the residential sector. AT&T and SmartSynch are for the first time providing utilities with a cost-effective solution by combining a new suite of service plans from AT&T designed specifically for machine to machine (M2M) communications with SmartSynch's smart grid solutions already deployed at more than 100 utilities throughout North America.

With this new solution from AT&T and SmartSynch, electric utility companies will now be able to concentrate on efficient electricity delivery rather than being distracted by building, maintaining, expanding and upgrading a communications network. This new solution offers a cost-effective point-to-point configuration model in which each meter communicates directly with the utility over the AT&T wireless network.

Smart grids combine "smart meters", wireless technology, sensors and software so customers and utilities can closely monitor energy use and cut back when the availability of electricity is stretched to its limit. The IP-based smart grid model ultimately helps consumers understand the economics of their consumption patterns so they can make intelligent decisions about their power consumption. The smart grid technology will also help to enhance reliability and energy efficiency, lower power-line losses and provide utilities with the ability to remotely automate service, providing cost-savings for consumers.

Key benefits of the point to point smart meter solution to utility companies include:

 

• improved speed of deployment over traditional meshed networks
• the simplicity of an open standard, IP-based network
• the ability to communicate directly with each meter.

"Utilities throughout the U.S. face tremendous challenges to increase renewable energy sources and efficiency, as well as manage new applications, which place new complexities on an already complex system," said Chris Hill, vice president, mobility product management, AT&T Business Solutions. "To meet these changing demands in support of the recent economic stimulus bill, AT&T and SmartSynch are offering this new solution to help the industry migrate to smart grids."

Stephen Johnston, chief executive officer, SmartSynch, said: "The decision to work with AT&T on this initiative was clear, based on its network reliability and strong legacy in understanding the needs of business customers and servicing those needs. Together we are providing a cost-effective alternative to private networks, which is shifting the smart-metering landscape for the good of the entire utilities industry."

Point to point communications with meters is just one of many technologies that AT&T supports as part of its smart grid initiative. AT&T offers a range of strategic mobility products and services to the utility industry, including wireless solutions for field service workers, outage detection and remote monitoring. AT&T's dedicated team of industry specialists understands the business process from end to end and translates technical solutions into meaningful business value for customers.

Over the last decade, AT&T has invested significant resources in implementing security features on its global network [1] and best practices that comply with national and international standards. AT&T has employed such practices in order to help secure network resources, data centers and customer facing network interfaces, in line with many of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) recommendations. In addition, AT&T offers security management services and business continuity and disaster recovery services which can also help utilities comply with NERC CIP recommendations.

SmartSynch has been the leading provider of IP-based smart grid solutions utilizing public wireless networks since the introduction of its first SmartMeter(TM) in 2000. SmartSynch's smart grid solutions are fully certified to deliver smart grid data on AT&T's wireless network, enabling quicker, easier, more scalable and strategic smart meter deployments for utilities.

For more information on AT&T's enterprise mobility offerings, visit http://www.business.att.com/enterprise/Portfolio/eb_mobility/ [2].

For more information on SmartSynch's smart grid infrastructure offerings, visit http://www.smartsynch.com [3].

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. Among their offerings are the world's most advanced IP-based business communications services, the nation's fastest 3G network [4] and the best wireless coverage worldwide, and the nation's leading high speed Internet access and voice services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part of their three-screen integration strategy, AT&T operating companies are expanding their TV entertainment offerings. In 2009, AT&T again ranked No. 1 in the telecommunications industry on FORTUNE(R) magazine's list of the World's Most Admired Companies. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com [5].

(C) 2009 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

Note: This AT&T news release and other announcements are available as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss [6]. For more information, please review this announcement in the AT&T newsroom at http://www.att.com/newsroom [7].

About SmartSynch

SmartSynch has been the world's leading provider of public wireless IP-based smart grid solutions for the utility industry since 2000. Our clean-tech innovations in the two-way delivery of real-time energy usage data over public wireless networks, in lieu of proprietary networks, have to-date simplified deployments for 100 major North American utilities, while enabling their clean-energy initiatives and delivering greater Returns on Resources.

As a smart grid infrastructure company, SmartSynch offers true end-to-end, IP-based solutions capable of delivering grid intelligence to and from any device. Our products and services include SmartMeters(TM) and SmartBoxes(TM) that immediately IP-enable the grid, software solutions, and network management services for utilities and their customers, as well as clean-tech companies in need of remote communications and control functionality for products ranging from solar panels to plug-in hybrid vehicles.

IP-based public wireless networks enable utilities to strategically and rapidly deploy more secure and scalable smart grid solutions with minimal capital expenditures. IP networks and solutions may be remotely upgraded to interface with new technologies, since they are built upon open standards and leverage existing programs and tools. SmartSynch's IP-based Smart Grid communications infrastructure encourages rapid application innovation and delivery of new functionality by allowing the broadest spectrum of ecosystem participants to focus on providing maximum benefits to utilities and their customers.

Website: http://www.att.com/ [5]