AT&T signs up second smart-grid utility partner

AT&T (NYSE:T) announced today it is partnering with utility company Cooper Power Systems, a division of Cooper Industries (NYSE: CBE), to jointly market and sell smart-grid services over AT&T’s wireless data network. AT&T was one of the first carriers to get behind the smart-grid movement through a smart metering partnership with SmartSynch, and today’s announcement will take it from the meter up to the where the power originates.

“We are starting at the meter and working our way back up the grid to the power production plant and looking at automating all the different elements along that chain,” said Abhi Ingle, vice president of industry and mobility application solutions at AT&T. “We’re embedding wireless intelligence at different points in the grid to not just capture usage and dynamic pricing information from the end user, but to also look at outage management, fault detection and things of that nature.”

With advancements in machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, utilities can now receive real-time system performance data to more efficiently operate their electric grids, as well as reduce the need for on-site inspections by identifying problems remotely. These IP-based smart grid systems also allow consumers to better understand their consumption habits inside the home.

Under the terms of the agreement, AT&T and Cooper will co-sell two products, OutageAdvisor and VARAdvisor. OutageAdvisor is a sensor that hangs on electric delivery lines every couple of miles to locate and isolate faults and then communicate them directly back within the system in real-time over AT&T’s network. Ingle said this will lessen the time it takes to identify and correct faults, as well as reduce the likelihood of an outage.

The VARAdvisor sensor will serve as an alternative to manual inspection of equipment that controls the voltage supplied to consumers and detects fuse failures, which Ingle said will also help reduce the need for on-site inspections.

While not releasing specifics, Ingle said AT&T crafted its M2M pricing plans for these products to appeal specifically to the utility market, which uses small amounts of data but for millions of users.