Feb 10 2016
Sentient Energy, Inc., a leading provider of advanced grid monitoring and analytics solutions for electric utilities, today announced support for the latest generation LTE technology within its cellular-based MM3™ intelligent distribution grid sensor at DistribuTECH 2016 in Orlando, Florida.
The LTE unit is backwards compatible with existing 3G and 2G cellular networks giving it maximum coverage today, and making it an excellent solution globally. The newest cellular MM3 will join the company’s industry-leading line of intelligent sensors and analytics for deployment over mesh and cellular communications networks. Sentient Energy recently announced a deployment of more than 20,000 MM3 intelligent sensors on Florida Power & Light’s (FPL) 42,000-mile overhead service area (see article).
“Sentient’s LTE-based MM3 intelligent sensors offer significant advantages over older cellular units by extending coverage across the 4G/3G/2G spectrum combined with extremely competitive operating costs,” said Sentient Program Manager, Samir Badia. “LTE is the cellular industry’s technology of the future. By adding LTE support while retaining legacy cellular network compatibility, we can extend the product’s expected lifespan and expand the available coverage area. An LTE-compatible sensor platform can be quickly deployed with virtually no additional infrastructure costs, making it an ideal option for utilities without a suitable DA network.”
Sentient Energy has partnered with AT&T to offer the new MM3 in any area where AT&T or its carrier partners’ LTE networks are available, providing a wide area of coverage across North America. The Sentient LTE-based MM3 will be fully-integrated with Sentient’s recently announced Ample 3.0 Analytics platform. The Ample platform analyzes huge amounts of high-resolution waveforms data to identify and analyze grid events. Together, the MM3™ sensors and Ample™ Analytics platform provide everything needed to capture and analyze data from across the distribution grid.
The Sentient Energy new LTE-compatible MM3 sensors are now in beta deployment and will be generally available for shipment in April, 2016.