Transforming Utilities – Wirelessly

Utilities are once again reinventing their business with process enhancements through broader and deeper adoption of cellular data and voice. Igor Glubochansky and Don Troxell offer an AT&T perspective on this industry transformation and the critical role of wireless.

Power companies are already using real-time wireless cellular communications for a wide range of activities, from voice and wireless email to managing mobile workforces and meter reading. In recent years, many of the barriers to broader adoption of mobile data and voice in utilities have been removed. Cost-effective, easy to implement solutions are now available with off-the-shelf software, dramatically improved networks and a broad selection of business devices – for every business process, every worker and every type of work. And the importance of these systems will grow with the obsolescence of land mobile radio communications.

To take advantage of this trend, utilities must assess the role of wireless cellular data and voice services in their long-term technology strategy and develop a plan for the key areas of mobile and wireless opportunity:

• Real-time enablement of field service to reduce costs and boost productivity.
• Improving visibility of critical assets with mobile fleet management.
• Implementing real-time monitoring and redundant backup to improve service reliability and quality.
• Enabling automatic meter infrastructure to control cost and generate additional revenues.

Real-time enablement of field service
Today, leading utilities are using wirelessly enabled field service automation solutions that take advantage of real-time data and technician/vehicle location, integrating the fieldwork with critical utility systems, to make better decisions and gain profitability and efficiency.

These applications may utilize a variety of mobile-enabled devices from rugged laptops to mobile handsets, and a variety of software applications – from one of our field service solution providers including Oracle, SAP, Dexterra, Intergraph, Ventyx, Click Software and Itron, to custom-developed specialized applications.

As the sidebar shows, mobile field service automation delivers quantifiable results. Companies surveyed in the most recent Aberdeen Group survey report a 27 percent gain in service profitability and a 23 percent improvement in service level agreement compliance after adopting mobile technology. Most utilities can gain from 30 to 90 minutes of additional time each day, per field employee and increase productivity by 10 percent to 20 percent. For a utility company with 1000 field workers, these savings would add an additional $20 million annually to the bottom line.

Mobile fleet management
Utilities are becoming increasingly interested in deploying mobile fleet management solutions to their fleets. Among investor-owned utilities, more than 30 percent of vehicles are already equipped with real-time mobile data applications (e.g. on laptops or other mobile data devices), and adoption is growing. By deploying fleet management applications, utilities can realize benefits such as better overall fleet visibility through GPS tracking of fleet vehicles to optimize scheduling activities and providing reports on mileage, speed and stops; the ability to locate and direct emergency dispatches most efficiently to solve critical, time sensitive problems; improved asset tracking for service vehicles, equipment and parts; and improved driver safety – drivers can remotely lock doors, shut down engines, trigger panic alarms, etc.

The value of these solutions is even greater when companies integrate fleet management with field service automation systems and processes and integrate voice and data information flows to field technicians and assets.

Real-time monitoring and redundant backup
As utilities upgrade their infrastructure, more frequent monitoring of the data is needed or may in some cases be mandated to improve the management during peak periods. Wireless wide-area network (WWAN) can provide backup to the wire line monitoring system or provide a primary monitoring transmission for low-bandwidth applications in remote locations. Wireless devices can be easily installed and provide energy management, metering, monitoring and control for the utility’s assets and services.

Automatic meter infrastructures
Initially, automated meter management systems were introduced purely as a solution for reducing the manual labor costs of reading meters. Today’s solutions allow utilities to not only reduce labor costs, but also to analyze usage to improve delivery, improve customer service by providing actual versus estimated usage, and introduce new features such as time-of-use pricing to help with conservation during peak demand periods and revenue generation.

-The latest AMI solutions provide benefits beyond simple meter reading, enabling utilities to realize opportunities for both cost reduction and revenue generation. Additional features of these new AMI systems include real-time service outage reporting, which improves time to repair; tamper/theft reporting, which improves revenue assurance; variable rate tariffs and peak demand/time-of-use tariffs, which help balance supply and demand; remote service connect/disconnect, which reduces labor costs. They also generate new revenues through the sale of value-added products such as electrical appliance monitoring, security and medical alert services

AT&T has a number of certified solutions to connect meter ‘endpoints’ and data collection devices to central processing facilities and ultimately to the internal company information systems.

Wireless cellular data and voice services
Current land mobile radio systems used by utilities for voice communications are reaching or have exceeded their life cycle, prompting questions among power generation companies about the role of cellular vs. land mobile radio (LMR).

Responding to these questions, IBM has recently published a position paper entitled “Critical Call: The Emerging Criticality of Cellular Services”. Adding to the industry debate, IBM consultants note escalating costs and technical challenges involved in replacing the aging LMR systems, ranging from equipment availability, spectrum and deployment issues, to slower data speed and underutilized capacity during normal operations.

Utilities that have replaced their private radio solutions with a workforce management solution running on the HSDPA/EDGE/GSM network, are enjoying faster transmission speeds and realizing a reduction in hardware and maintenance costs. While private networks are still useful for emergency and backup communications, public networks – with their minimal upfront costs and enhanced security features – now offer a better solution.

High-impact mobile solutions
Decision makers should carefully consider the advantages of wireless mobility and utility infrastructure solutions based on cellular data capabilities today.

AT&T has assembled an unprecedented set of assets and resources to make the promise of real-time wireless data a reality for today’s leaders in power generation -- 200 specialty vertical devices for every worker and every process; more than 85 enterprise software applications tested and certified on AT&T’s wireless network, a dedicated utilities mobility applications consulting practice and a comprehensive support team for every step of design, implementation and service. Not only are wide-area wireless cellular solutions for utilities viable, they are a competitive advantage for those who use it wisely and creatively. The only limit is the imagination and commitment of the utility senior managers.

Deploying mobile solutions
Below are a few examples of the benefits utilities can realize by deploying a mobile solution in conjunction with their core information systems:

• Field technicians receive work assignments along with navigation directions to their next job reducing time and travel expense for repair services
• By connecting to the asset management system, utility trucks are replenished with the correct parts for their upcoming jobs
• Wireless devices can update the infrastructure map with the changes made at each location, keeping information current for all technicians
• With improved efficiency and reduced windshield time, companies can reduce reliance on overtime to meet required repair turn around times
• Supervisors can better manage and facilitate the crews to improve productivity and improve regulatory compliance
• Utilities improve customer satisfaction by narrowing the window of time in which a technician will arrive for an installation or repair

Wireless networks
WWAN produces benefits such as:

• Additional security options
• Improved reliability by creating network diversity for mission-critical operations
• More practical and assessable communication network than landline within certain geographical areas
• Faster installation than traditional networks
• Remote troubleshooting and diagnostic capabilities

Don Troxell leads AT&T’s Mobility Applications Consulting practice for utilities. He has over 20 years’ experience at ESRI, Intergraph and as a Director of IT, managing, deploying, consulting and selling technologies to private and public utility companies. Don is focused on mobile workforce management systems and technology integration solutions for power generation companies.

Igor Glubochansky is responsible for wireless data solutions marketing for utilities. His team creates business solutions to wirelessly enable field service, logistics and fleet management. Prior to this role, Igor worked at SAP America Inc. and McKinsey & Co, serving several utilities and power generation manufacturing and service clients on strategy and operations engagements.