MBLink-MDM (Meter Deployment Management)
Product Offered by Kinetix Wireless
The software is designed to ease the processes involved with large scale smart meter deployment projects. The latest version integrates best practices learned from live deployment efforts using the earlier version of the product.
One issue that has repeatedly arisen in past deployment projects is a seriously deficient estimate utilities make regarding the impact large projects involving hundreds of thousands or more smart meters have on business processes, systems, and staff. Initial planning tends to focus on smart meter brand selection, advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) design, and testing the communications system.
“Most utilities anticipate using third party contractors to physically deploy their smart meters to residential and commercial premises thus making it essentially someone else’s problem,” said Kinetix Wireless president Pierre Vorster. “In doing so, they can easily fail to anticipate that their standard meter tracking system, which works well for small deployments such as routine meter replacement programs, is far too cumbersome or won’t scale to handle the many hundreds or even thousands of meters that will be deployed in a single day.”
The software keeps all interested parties informed as to the status of the project, including regulators, customers, and internal stakeholders of the utility. Inventory is managed in real-time and the solution always keeps an eye of the project’s budget. It even makes sure the right person with the needed skill set has been assigned to the right job.
Any type of field process encountered by electric, gas, or water utilities has been worked into the software. Connections and data queries are possible with practically any type of data collection device used in the field. Changes made to business processes are easily configured to the entire system.
“MBLink-MDM provides a feature rich meter deployment management system, which also facilitates integration of third party field services providers with the utility’s own people, business processes and back-office information systems,” added Vorster.
Legacy work management software and standard business processes do not fill the gap needed to manage a typical large smart meter deployment project. In fact, older work management systems could compound what can evolve into an overwhelming situation. Without proper management techniques, deployment costs skyrocket as rework becomes mandatory.
“MBLink-MDM is based on the hard lessons we and our customers have jointly learned about large scale meter deployment,” said Kinetix Wireless CTO Erik Bjerkelund. “We’ve worked hard to provide advanced features like optimized street level routing, high levels of data security and the flexibility required to support ever changing business processes. These are the key features our customers insist are mandatory for a superior meter deployment management system.”
MBLink-MDM is a proven winner having already been selected by numerous utilities. In North America, the solution has been selected to manage the installation of over 5 million smart meters.
