PLANO, TX, Sept. 30, 2004 -- Cellnet Technology Inc. and Datamatic, Ltd. signed an agreement to work together to develop and market a commercial and industrial (C&I) automatic meter reading (AMR) solution for the electric utility industry.
The agreement outlines how the companies will work together to combine the Cellnet® wireless peer-to-peer UtiliNet® mesh network technology with the Datamatic CommSTAR MDxTM data collection software in a solution specifically designed for electric utility C&I customers.
Cellnet and Datamatic are developing, under the terms of the agreement, an interface between the UtiliNet network and the CommSTAR C&I data collection software which will enable utility companies to use the CommSTAR system to remotely read C&I electric meters over the UtiliNet wireless network.
"We believe that the combination of the UtiliNet mesh network technology and the Datamatic CommSTAR MDx software will provide the utility industry with the most robust C&I AMR system available on the market today", said Mike Zito, Cellnet president and CEO. "The UtiliNet system is a field proven wireless solution that allows utilities to begin their AMR deployment for its largest customers and at the same time create a network that can be fully utilized for residential AMR and distribution automation applications in the future."
Datamatic's CommSTAR MDx can remotely read C&I meters over a wide variety of communications infrastructures. This allows cost effective collection of mission critical data for billing, forecasting, load research and other operational functions.
"CommSTAR MDx supports both multi-meter and multi-network sytems," said Datamatic president and CEO Ken Kercher. "This alliance will allow electric utilities to take advantage of the many innovative features of the CommSTAR MDx data collection system through the highly reliable UtiliNet private wireless network. The market has been seeking new choices; teaming with Cellnet is a significant expansion of our strategy to provide a state-of-the art alternative in C&I data collection and analysis."
CommSTAR MDx is a true 32-bit client server based application that provides validation, graphics, reporting and analysis tools. CommSTAR MDx can be used with all major brands of meters and supports the use of landline telephone, cellular, two-way pager, CDMA/GSM, 1xRTT/GPRS, CDPD, TCP/IP and private networks for meter communications. These options allow the user to take advantage of the most cost effective and reliable communications available.
The Cellnet UtiliNet technology uses spread spectrum radios in the license-free 902-928 MHz area of the radio spectrum to provide reliable mesh network solutions for metering, remote telemetry, and distribution automation applications. UtiliNet two-way radios are incorporated, under glass, within C&I meters, allowing them to become intelligent data collection end points as well as repeaters to route data through the network to the data collection and control system.
The two companies are also exploring additional market opportunities including these and other products and systems within each company's portfolio.
About Cellnet
Based in Atlanta, Cellnet (www.cellnet.com) supplies gas, water, and electric utilities with highly reliable, field-proven products that enable them to communicate with residential and commercial and industrial (C&I) meters using wireless and IP network communications. The Cellnet InfiNet and UtiliNet systems bring the most comprehensive offering-merging scalability, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness-available in the market today.
About Datamatic
Datamatic (www.datamatic.com) is a leader in utility meter reading automation. The company's innovative ideas created an industry when it installed the first electronic meter reading system in 1980. For nearly a quarter of a century, Datamatic has been at the forefront in the design, implementation and support of advanced utility meter reading and field data collection solutions for water, gas and electric utilities.
###
