|
Quick Take: I nearly fell out of my chair when I read that IDC Energy Insights had named Landis+Gyr as the leader in smart metering rather than a heavyweight like Itron, Sensus or Silver Spring Networks. L+G? Really? I never hear from them or of them, and I talk all day long to utilities, consultants, suppliers and other electric power experts.
From where I sit, the company has been late to every party, whether to new technology or to support standards or to join important industry consortia. But IDC is a serious research company with a rigorous process, so I can only assume they know something my colleagues and I do not. Take a look for yourself and use the survey form to record your own vote, and the comment form to tell us why. – Jesse Berst
|  |
|
.
A new report from IDC Energy Insights offers a detailed assessment and ranking for seven major vendors in the smart metering communication network market. And without further ado, here's the breakdown by category:
· Leaders: Landis+Gyr
· Major Players: Elster, Itron, Silver Spring Networks, Trilliant and Sensus
· Contenders: Aclara
The report, IDC MarketScape: North American AMI Communication Network 2011 Vendor Assessment, lists scalability, integration, interoperability and customer service as the most important evaluation criteria utilities should use when weighing their choice for an AMI communication network solutions vendor. IDC says its assessment coincides with the growth of utility investments and the "massive ramp-up" in the market.
"First and foremost, an AMI communication network solution needs to work seamlessly with the smart meters attached to it. However, the network's integration and interoperability capabilities allow it to act as a gateway for further innovation," according to Marcus Torchia, IDC research manager for its Intelligent Grid Strategies research advisory service. "Leveraging common infrastructure will become essential to reaching the best possible ROI per investment dollar, while maintaining maximum flexibility to engage the additional opportunities the smart grid creates. This is one of the reasons that scalability is such an essential criteria in our assessment."
The report's focus is smart meter communication networks that use wireless communication network technology in the North American marketplace, which is where IDC says the great majority of the infrastructure will run on wireless technology.
More on this topic ...
Meter maker shakedown: The 5 that will survive
Smart meters and the Sensus success secret (shhhhh.... it’s private)
Talk Back
