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Heliot Europe partners with B4T to provide Sigfox-0G connectivity for smart meters
Gareth Mitchell , UK Partner Manager , Heliot Europe
H eliot Europe , a UK and European Sigfox operator and independent IoT network operator and solution provider , has partnered with B4T to provide it with Sigfox-0G network connectivity for its smart water meters . Known by the industry as B4T ’ s Jellyfish smart water meter range , these IoT devices allow utility companies , organisations and consumers to track water consumption so that leaks within systems can be better managed , and for accurate billing . B4T ’ s latest Jellyfish BRIDGE patent technology upcycles water meters that are usually read annually , providing meters and users with the capability to record information hourly and remotely . This enables water companies and end users to gain an understanding about acquired water consumption and leakage information .
The Jellyfish works by recording the data and compressing it so that it can be effectively transmitted , which helps maintain a long battery life in the field
B4T ’ s Jellyfish smart water meter range for these devices , for over fifteen years . The data transmission and connectivity is managed with Sigfox ’ s low-powered wide-area network , LPWAN technology , which overcomes underground connectivity challenges posed by traditional 4G , 5G and Wi-Fi connectivity options .
By exploiting weak , short range drive by radio and converting it into a dependable , long-range Sigfox radio , data is transmitted more accurately and shares the necessary insights required by management and billing teams to make meaningful decisions about water consumption , leaks or any other kinds of operational tasks that relate to their water systems .
Alex Barter , Managing Director , B4T says , “ The UK has a water problem and 3 billion litres of water , over a fifth of the total supply , are lost to leakage every single day . This is not just a waste of a vital resource . When 3 % of the UK ’ s energy consumption is needed to shift water around the country , the complete environmental impact of leakage is even more impactful and noteworthy . Therefore , using smart water meters enables water companies , to identify the sources of leaks in real time .”
Gareth Mitchell , UK Partner Manager , Heliot Europe says , “ B4T ’ s Jellyfish smart water meter provides a prime example of how IoT , powered by Sigfox connectivity , is able to transform an industry . The UK has over 260,000 miles of water mains , and
Alex Barter , Managing Director , B4T
so we continue to look forward to working together with B4T as they scale their operations and provide their technology to water companies and consumers .”
Heliot Europe is the exclusive operator of the global Sigfox 0G network in Germany , Switzerland , Austria , Slovenia , the UK , Denmark and Liechtenstein . This makes Heliot Europe the largest 0G network operator in Europe . With Sigfox 0G technology , Heliot Europe offers a crossborder , seamless , user-friendly , cost-effective and energy-efficient network and helps companies to further transform their business model towards digital services in areas such as asset tracking , asset monitoring and supply chain management . •
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