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Vi Business, the enterprise arm of telecom operator Vodafone Idea Limited (VIL), has announced its partnership with Trilliant, a global provider of utility solutions for advanced metering and smart grid systems. The partnership will help Vi Business and Trilliant leverage joint domain expertise to create and implement integrated Internet of Things (IoT) solutions for advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) projects in India.

The partnership also seeks to strengthen the New Delhi government’s digital India mission and transforms the country’s power distribution sector by converting the targeted 250 million electricity metres into smart metres, across the country.

Synergy between both parties creates a bundled offering of connectivity, cloud and HES with managed services to help master system integrators (MSI)/advanced metering infrastructure service providers (AMISPs) deliver and sustain critical service level agreements (SLAs) for AMI projects in India. Collaboration with Trilliant will allow Vi Business to leverage its global experience of unity suite head end system (HES) that complies with IS 15959, enabling both daily metre reads and interval data. The partnership offers Discoms complete network visibility, transparency of operations and SLA management of complex AMI projects.

According to Arvind Nevatia, chief enterprise business officer, Vodafone Idea Limited “As a market leader in Integrated IoT and with extensive experience in smart metering, Vi Business remains focused on empowering DISCOMs, citizens and service providers to grow and reinvent in a smart and sustainable way. We strongly believe that our partnership with Trilliant will allow us to leverage their capability to deploy large scale AMI projects and help us deliver advanced IoT solutions for the utility providers of tomorrow, driving faster implementation of AMI in India. This collaboration also demonstrates our strong commitment in the energy and utility space in the country and will help DISCOMs reap the benefits of AMI solutions in a secure and integrated way.”

Over the years, Vi Business has built an unparalleled track record in powering India’s energy infrastructure by providing innovative IoT solutions and becoming a partner of choice for AMI projects by various power distribution companies. Currently working with over 25 DISCOMs, Vi Business has the distinction of having connected approx. 3 Million metres in the country – with 2 out of every 3 smart metres across India being powered by Vi.

“We are delighted to be partnering with a leading communications provider like Vi Business, and the significant opportunities it presents to both parties, and most importantly to India.” says Dan Lambert, chief solutions officer, Trilliant. “To date, Trilliant has deployed more than 1.5 mn smart metres from six different metre vendors in India, for seven utilities in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana states. We’re looking forward to better supporting utilities in India with
the combination of Trilliant’s depth of global experience in the AMI and IoT space, and Vi’s brand, its best-in-class solutions and stellar track record.”

The current smart metre national programme aims to replace 250 mn conventional metres with smart metres in India. Smart metres are connected through a web-based monitoring system (i.e., HES) which helps reduce losses of utilities, increases efficiency, enhances revenues and serves as a key enabler in power sector reforms. IoT adoption has become crucial for the digital transformation goals of large enterprises, especially power distribution companies that are facing challenges and suffering enormous AT&C losses year after year. Most AMI stakeholders continue to work in silos, preventing DISCOMs from reaping the scale benefits of AMI. Vi Business and Trilliant will work jointly to create a bundled offering of connectivity, cloud and HES with managed services for current and future opportunities of AMI projects in the country. Vi Business provides a one stop shop for the AMI players enabling DISCOMs or SPs deliver superior customer experience and ensure the success of long tenure projects.

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