<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><h2><a href="http://www.buddeblog.com.au/news-and-views/utilitys-smart-meter-uses-att-network/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link: Utility’s smart meter uses AT&T network">Utility’s smart meter uses AT&T network</a>.</h2>
<div class="entrytext"><p style="text-align: justify;">US
company, Texas New Mexico Power Co. plans to cover its service
territory with smart meters that will transfer data over AT&T
Inc.’s wireless network, which will drive the smart-grid market to use
common carriers.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The proposed plan would be the largest
rollout by a major US utility to rely on a wireless network.
Previously, smart meter projects have relied on proprietary
communications networks built by utilities or their contractors that
use radio frequency equipment mounted on power poles. Those systems
collect and transfer meter readings competently but add to capital
costs that are then paid by ratepayers.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Common carriers could be competitive as
they reduce their wireless network charges. AT&T is charging about
$1 a meter a month for its services to TNMP, versus a quoted price of
several dollars as recently as a year ago. TNMP, a unit of PNM
Resources Inc, of Albuquerque, N.M., intends to deploy 231,000 meters
for all its business and residential customers in Texas over the next
five years.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.buddeblog.com.au/news-and-views/utilitys-smart-meter-uses-att-network/">www.buddeblog.com.au/news-and-views/utilitys-smart-meter-uses-att-network/</a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br></p></div><br><br></body></html>