VANCOUVER, Sept. 22 /CNW/ – Sierra Wireless (NASDAQ: SWIR; TSX: SW) today announced that NURI Telecom, a South Korean company specializing in next generation automatic meter reading solutions, has selected Sierra Wireless to provide end-to-end wireless connectivity for its latest generation of smart metering solutions.
NURI has integrated the Sierra Wireless AirPrime(TM) Q2686 Intelligent Embedded Module into AiMiR, its AMR (advanced meter reading) solution. NURI took advantage of the Sierra Wireless Open AT(R) operating system and development tools to embed an advanced smart metering application into the AirPrime module, reducing development time and total solution cost. In addition, NURI Telecom is using Sierra Wireless AirVantage Management Services for AirPrime to remotely monitor, manage, and upgrade applications software and firmware on the devices once they are in the field. This further increases the solution’s reliability, minimizing operational support costs and reducing deployment time, key success factors of any advanced metering solutions.
“Our products need to be solid and reliable, year in and year out, so we needed a wireless solution that met both stringent operational requirements and offered us the ability to remotely manage and upgrade devices in the field,” said Gab-sub Kim, Chief Technology Officer for NURI Telecom. “Sierra Wireless offered the whole package, from a module with some of the best industrial specifications available, to a suite of development tools that simplified our integration process, to a service delivery platform for post-sales management of the devices. That comprehensive solution made Sierra Wireless an outstanding choice.”
AiMiR, the AMR solution developed by NURI Telecom, provides a complete solution to utilities that allows them to remotely read meters over readily available and reliable cellular networks and communicate data to their billing systems, saving costly time and effort required for manual meter readings. Connecting meters directly over wireless cellular networks also allows utilities to respond more quickly to any malfunctions and helps to prevent meter tampering. The NURI solution using the Sierra Wireless AirPrime Embedded Module can be integrated with existing meters – a cost-effective option that does not require wholesale replacement of equipment.
“Innovative solutions that integrate wireless connections into remote equipment need more than just the hardware component,” said Jin Pak, Vice President of Sales, Asia Pacific for Sierra Wireless. “Simplifying the integration and management of connected devices is critical to the success of our customers and therefore a top priority for us. We are proud of the role Sierra Wireless has been able to play in helping NURI Telecom bring the AiMiR solution to market.”
Sierra Wireless AirPrime(TM) Q Series Intelligent Embedded Modules and Software Solutions
Sierra Wireless AirPrime(TM) Q Series is designed to help manufacturers get to market quickly and scale production rapidly. The AirPrime Q Series uses industrial grade board-to-board connectors for rapid mounting and includes footprint compatible GPRS, EDGE, HSPA, CDMA 1xRTT and TD-SCDMA versions to streamline product development. Manufacturers can use a single product design, assured that with the AirPrime Q Series, their product will be able to communicate on any cellular protocol, anywhere in the world.
To assist with development and integration, the Sierra Wireless Open AT(R) Operating System provides a set of high-level APIs, access to all of the module’s hardware resources, as well as an extensive set of Open AT Plug-ins to expedite application development.
Sierra Wireless AirVantage(TM) Management Services
After devices have been deployed in the field, there is still a need to remotely monitor them, diagnose and repair problems, and deliver upgrades. AirVantage(TM) Management Services for AirPrime is a packaged software-as-a-service (SaaS) device management solution that enables service providers, through a web self-care portal, to remotely monitor and securely upgrade the application software running on AirPrime Intelligent Embedded Modules as well as the operating system and protocol stack. AirVantage Management Services may be expanded to provide a comprehensive set of M2M services, including asset data management, subscription management, and billing services, based on the AirVantage Services Platform.
To learn more about Sierra Wireless solutions for energy, please visit www.sierrawireless.com/energy or drop by our stand (No.H09) at Metering Europe 2010, held in Vienna, Austria from September 22 to 24. For more information about Sierra Wireless AirPrime embedded modules and related software tools, please visit http://www.sierrawireless.com/productsandservices/AirPrime.aspx. For more information about Sierra Wireless AirVantage services platform and solutions, please visit http://www.sierrawireless.com/en/productsandservices/AirVantage.aspx. To contact the Sierra Wireless Sales Desk, call +1 (604) 232-1488 or email sales@sierrawireless.com.
