Following an extensive request for proposal process, BelAir Networks wireless technology has been selected by London Hydro to interconnect its advanced metering infrastructure. London Hydro owns, operates and maintains a 2609 km (1621 mile) network of overhead and underground power lines. BelAir Networks reseller, Capella Telecommunications, is supplying network design, installation and integration support for the Smart Meter wireless wide area network (WAN) deployment.
The London Hydro Smart Meter WAN design is based on BelAir Networks flagship BelAir200 wireless nodes, each configured with four backhaul radios. Nodes interconnect via multiple point-to-point and point-to-multipoint connections to create a resilient, high-performance wireless WAN. BelAir Networks patented switched architecture delivers high-capacity as well as the extremely low latency critical to control and management applications.
Based on the request-for-proposal issued in early 2009, critical success factors for the network included:
- Open architecture and standards-based
- Affordable, effective, flexible, scalable and has longevity
- Ability to manage AMI traffic loads with sufficient room for growth
- Resilient, robust, secure and reliable
- Local support
