Mumbai: Airtel Business, the B2B arm of Bharti Airtel, one of India’s leading telecommunications service providers has announced that it will power over 20 million smart meters for Adani Energy Solutions Limited (AESL) owned by Gautam Adani, the second-richest Asian. 

Airtel, through its nationwide communications network will deliver reliable and secure connectivity for all AESL’s smart meter deployments, the company said in a release. In addition, Airtel’s transformative smart metering solutions that are powered by NB-IoT, 4G, and 2G, will help AESL to ensure real-time connectivity and uninterrupted transfer of critical data between smart meters and headend applications. The solution will also come powered with Airtel’s IoT platform, said the release.

Ganesh Lakshminarayanan, CEO of Airtel Business (India), said, “India’s smart metering programme is one of the most significant policy reform measures undertaken by the government. These meters are critical building blocks for smart grids and fundamental enablers for the digitalization of the power sector. Airtel expects its NB-IoT technology to play a significant role in the utility space to connect and manage smart meters at scale with enhanced coverage, high reliability, and security. We look forward to a long and fruitful association with the Adani Group, supporting them in their endeavours to digitize utilities”.

Kandarp Patel, the CEO Adani Energy Solutions Ltd, said, “India’s ambitious Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) is transforming the way we deliver power, and AESL is proud to be at the forefront of this revolution. Our partnership with Airtel marks a critical step towards realizing the vision of a smarter, more efficient grid for all."

"This strategic tie-up leverages the best of both worlds: our deep domain expertise in the T&D sector and Airtel's robust nationwide network and comprehensive suite of IoT offerings, including NB-IoT and 4G LTE. This powerful combination will enable us to seamlessly deploy our current order book of over 20 million smart meters across India, empowering millions of consumers with real-time consumption data and control, while simultaneously driving down inefficiencies in the distribution network", Patel added.

ALSO READ: Assam seeks to attract investments at Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit