Cellnet Technology, Inc. has executed an agreement with the city of Geneseo, Illinois, as its advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) provider. The contract calls for the deployment of the Cellnet wireless mesh network radio infrastructure, new electric endpoints, and host software in the initial phase of the project with water endpoints following in a subsequent phase.
Geneseo is located in northwest Illinois just east of Davenport, Iowa. Geneseo sources power through long-term power purchase agreements with Iowa-based utilities including Mid American Energy.
Cellnet's fixed network AMI solution, which Geneseo will own and operate, was selected in a tender process over wireless fixed network offerings from publicly traded competitors. The city of Geneseo cited the cost-effectiveness of the Cellnet solution and the comprehensive functional capabilities of Cellnet's packaged software supporting outage detection, on-demand reads, daily customer usage history, and restoration verification as the main reasons for its selection. The project will use two-way solid state meter technology.
City of Geneseo Public Utilities Manager Ken Stock remarked, "We are focused on providing cost-effective services to our residents while also preparing for what the future holds in terms of demand response and time of use rates. Cellnet will improve the efficiency of our utility operations and the service we provide our residents. The system will also provide us with an intelligent network platform to support our future needs."
Cellnet president and CEO Mike Zito remarked, "We welcome the city of Geneseo to our rapidly growing customer community. Cellnet is committed to meeting the long-term needs of municipalities of all sizes."
Cellnet offers flexibility to municipalities and utilities seeking to deploy AMI solutions, including a hosted service solution where Cellnet builds, owns and operates the system while providing ongoing services; a second option to build, operate and then transfer operations over time; and a full sale model where Cellnet or one its partners provides training for a municipality or utility to install and fully own and operate the system. Cellnet's systems also support the largest range of meter end point options in the market, including a new universal water endpoint that avoids the cost of purchasing new water meters to obtain the benefits of automated metering.
Mike Zito concluded, "With our field-tested ability to provide electric, water, and gas endpoints under a common and proven wireless fixed network platform today, not sometime in the future, we are gaining mind and market share with municipalities across the country."
City of Geneseo Mayor Pat Everhardt concluded, "This project will help us reduce our cost of utility operations and improve service levels while also positioning us to provide additional energy and utility management services to our citizens in the future."
Cellnet has over 13 million endpoints deployed and contracted across the United States, and supports high-bandwidth, on-demand meter reading while providing a range of utility software applications that reduce costs and improve customer service.
