eleven-X Inc., operator of Canada’s only coast-to-coast public low power network, has been selected by QMC, Canada’s leader in submetering, to be their wireless network partner to reinvent the Smart Water Meter market. QMC will launch its Smart Water Metering solution in early 2018, which will be the first time a metering services company will use a public LoRaWAN network in Canada.
Smart Metering solutions often use proprietary networks and technologies that can be unreliable and, because they are built for only that single application rather than being publicly available for multiple applications, they can also be very expensive. QMC set out to solve this problem, launching a turnkey end-to-end solution utilizing the eleven-x public LoRaWAN network, the only coast-to-coast low power network enabling customers to deploy their solutions across Canada.
Key to the successful development and launch of QMC’s Smart Metering Solution is the eleven-X LoRaWAN Interface Design (LiD) module. The LiD module provides the ability for eleven-X partners and customers to retrofit un-networked devices and turn them into a Smart device connected to the eleven-X public LoRaWAN network. The LiD module is a hardware and software solution that includes significant enhancements for security and ease of use in addition to its connectivity capabilities. In this case, QMC and eleven-X worked together to utilize the LiD module to deliver a self-contained device that will provide ‘bolt-on’ LoRaWAN connectivity for a wide variety of metering solutions and interfaces.
“eleven-X helped us go to market with complete confidence, by reducing the risk substantially. Working with eleven-X allowed us to quickly develop and deliver a robust metering solution, and their network provides the coast-to-coast coverage that we needed to be able to commercialize a solution like this,” said James Easton, CEO, QMC. “We were very impressed with the eleven-X LoRaWAN Interface Design module, and being able to rely on having a robust, stable and secure LoRaWAN network like the one that eleven-X provides gives us the ability to make customer commitments with complete trust. eleven-X has been a true partner in helping us reinvent Smart Metering. This successful deployment collaboration allows us to expand our Smart Metering Solution across Canada.”
“QMC is leading disruptive change with its Smart Metering Services solution, which is designed around the eleven-X LoRaWAN Interface Design module, and integrated with our LoRaWAN wireless connectivity services platform,” said Dan Mathers, President & CEO, eleven-X. “When QMC approached us to help them reinvent the Smart Meter Market, we saw a great opportunity to help by providing a complete solution to QMC that allowed them to convert un-networked water meters into Smart Meters and get automated meter readings from them.”
The eleven-X low power network enables the promise of Smart Cities, smart buildings and campuses and enterprise IoT applications. Supporting the use of low-cost battery powered sensors, the network addresses Internet of Things applications where requirements include wireless connectivity, devices that require long battery life, no maintenance and a low total cost of ownership.