Retrieving the maximum benefits from smart metering investments

Paderborn (Germany), 22 February 2012: According to the leading analyst company Frost & Sullivan, Utilities across the globe are beginning to realize the potential of advanced metering, starting to invest in smart metering due to legal requirements. Yet, most Utilities have not yet developed a strategy for monetising this investment accordingly. “Monetisation Strategies for the High Smart Metering Investment” is the topic Orga Systems is approaching in its Utility whitepaper, published with Frost & Sullivan. “Smart metering is an opportunity to increase transparency and install confidence. Increasing the touch points with customers is key to monetising the advanced metering investment”, says Alexander Michael, Principal at Frost & Sullivan. In line with this, the solution lies in partnering with a reputable, stable and experienced solutions provider, guaranteeing the long-term involvement and support. Orga Systems offers this valid, high-performance billing and rating solution in real-time that will enable Utility companies to meet their smart metering challenges.

Real-time rating is essential for dynamic network management
The rating engine is a critical component of the billing framework and a back-office bottleneck at many utility companies. Even in smart metering environments, it is common for the rating to take place on month-old data, because no real-time rating capability is present.
However, the rating must take place in real-time or near real-time in order to empower the dynamic network management that is essential to many of the smart energy advantages. Orga Systems’ OS.Energy provides real-time pricing, charging and advanced account management capabilities, paving the way for successful business, its configurability and scalability making it a future-proof billing solution.

Helping Utilities to overcome limitations
Most utilities will need to invest in their advanced metering infrastructure ICT to overcome today’s market challenges. The following three pain points have been detected in the research which is based on one-on-one interviews with utility companies from North America, Europe, APAC and Latin America. Major challenges consist of managing the high investment, coping with the data explosion and developing a vision for how to monetise the high investment. In this regards real-time rating is essential to dynamic network management and revenue assurance. Orga Systems’ real-time billing, new services and enhanced customer interaction are key to addressing these most pressing smart metering challenges faced by utility companies today.

Key Takeaways of the whitepaper:
– Promoting visual benefits from smart meters is important, because consumers will bear the cost, directly or indirectly.
– Utility companies may need to invest in upgrading their billing systems in order to reap the maximum benefits from their smart metering investment.
– Real-time rating is essential to dynamic network management and revenue assurance up- and downstream.
– Back-end solutions must be future-proof, scalable and reliable, because the legal requirements are prone to changing.
***

Learn more about Orga Systems’ Smart Energy Billing solution, OS.Energy, and meet us at the MWC 2012 from February 27th – 01st March in Barcelona at Hall 8 Booth 70, main aisle.

To discover more of the findings from this research download a free copy of the whitepaper today: http://www.orga-systems.com/en/utility-whitepaper