This article aims to answer frequently asked questions about Subeca and AMI.
Who is Subeca?
Subeca specializes in IoT and WaterTech, offering straightforward and powerful solutions to tackle today’s water challenges. Specializing in smart water metering solutions, Subeca provides Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) solutions that enable water utilities to improve efficiency, sustainability, and customer satisfaction. With flexible, end-to-end systems, Subeca helps utilities connect and manage water meters remotely. Subeca’s AMI platform streamlines the transition to smart metering by ensuring quick and easy installation, multiple communication options, and seamless integration with existing infrastructure.
What makes Subeca unique?
Subeca stands out in the industry due to its commitment to reducing barriers to AMI adoption, helping small and mid sized utilities leverage cutting-edge technology. Key features of Subeca’s offering include:
- Amazon Sidewalk Integration: Subeca utilizes Amazon Sidewalk, a free, low-bandwidth network, to deliver reliable, wide-reaching communication for water meters, lowering operational costs and providing a reliable backbone for utilities.
- Multi-Communication Capability: Subeca’s system is compatible with both Amazon Sidewalk and LoRaWAN, enabling utilities to choose the communication protocol that best fits their unique requirements.
- Easy Installation and Retrofitting: Subeca solutions are designed to install quickly and seamlessly on existing water meters, making them ideal for retrofits and eliminating the need for costly system overhauls.
What is AMI?
AMI, or Advanced Metering Infrastructure is a system that measures, collects, and analyzes information (like water consumption) through automated meters and communication networks. AMI provides a networked, two-way communication between utilities and the meters at customer locations, allowing for precise, remote monitoring of resource usage.
What are the benefits of using AMI?
- Improved Accuracy: Automated readings can eliminate manual meter reading errors and lead to more accurate billing.
- Enhanced Operational Efficiency: Real-time data monitoring can help detect leaks or outages, monitor system performance, and reduce operational costs.
- Energy and Water Conservation: Detailed usage data monitoring can help consumers and utilities identify patterns to promote conservation.
- Better Customer Service: With remote readings, utilities can respond faster to issues and provide better, proactive service.
How does AMI differ from traditional metering?
AMI is effective in the water industry as it manages resources efficiently and sustainably. Subeca’s AMI solutions, for example, leverage the Amazon Sidewalk network, providing water utilities with a cost-effective way to adopt smart metering, enhance customer satisfaction, and promote water conservation.
What does a smart register do?
A Subeca smart register is an advanced digital device that retrofits to a water meter and records/transmits detailed information about water usage. Unlike traditional mechanical registers that only track total water consumption, smart registers collect and store real-time data, which can include register values and the network strength of the message. This data is then securely transmitted to water utilities through AMI, enabling real-time monitoring and analytics.
Subeca’s Wireless Pin Smart Register:
How does the smart register communicate?
Subeca smart registers are designed with flexible communication options to ensure reliable and efficient data transfer. The system supports three types of telemetry:
- Bluetooth
- A short-range communication option that enables secure data retrieval.
- LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network)
- A long range, low power, wireless communication technology.
- Amazon Sidewalk
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- A free, shared network that helps devices work better both inside and outside the home by extending the range of low-bandwidth, low-power devices.
How can the data from smart registers be accessed?
For Utilities:
Utilities can access data collected from smart registers through the Subeca Engage Portal. This secure, user-friendly platform provides utilities with comprehensive insights to water usage.
For End Customers:
Currently, end customers do not have direct access to the data collected by the smart registers. If an end customer has specific questions or requires information about their water usage or account, they should contact their utility provider directly.