Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity service Sigfox has been chosen by South Africa’s National Treasury, which manages national economic policy, prepares the annual budget and manages the government's finances, to support South Africa’s new smart water meter ecosystem.
Existing meters will be adapted or replaced to become smart meters to improve revenue collection and service delivery. All the new meters will run on the nationwide Sigfox IoT network, often described as a low-power wide-area network (LPWAN).
Sigfox will monitor and support over 15 million smart water meters in the country. It was selected to do this thanks to what are described as its extensive network coverage, the robustness of its technology, low power consumption and service-level agreements.
The range and penetration of the advanced Sigfox ultra-narrowband signal also make it the ideal connectivity choice to reach meters that are often installed in challenging environments.
Sigfox claims a number of large commercial utility deployments in South Africa, where its network already covers 91% of the South African population. Thus, should there be a need to extend or densify the network, it suggests, this can be achieved quickly and cost-effectively.
Sigfox’s benefits also include ease of installation, accuracy and reliability. The network does not rely on Wi-Fi or fibre.
Quoted by the Engineering News website, Sigfox South Africa CEO Greg Rood says: “The transition to smart meters supported by Sigfox South Africa will mean improved collections for municipalities, real-time and accurate billing for customers, and improved management of increasingly scarce water resources”.