- 1. LPWA theoretical maximum (NB-IoT/LTE-M with PSM); depends on module, firmware, and transmission pattern.
- 2. Cumulative group total (EasyM2M / Lantia IoT / Kore Logic) since 2013.
Key features
Smart metering
Smart electricity, gas and water meters with remote reading.
Power grids
Monitoring of substations, transformers and distribution lines.
Renewable energy
Telematics for solar panels, wind turbines and generation plants.
Water management
Flow, pressure and quality sensors in distribution networks.
Industrial efficiency
Consumption monitoring and energy optimization in factories.
Demand response
Demand management and grid balancing systems.
Use cases
Typical problems
- Meters installed in basements, manholes or sheds with marginal GSM coverage and no constant power to amplify the signal.
- Concentrators that go silent for days after a power outage — billing readings get lost.
- No LTE-M or NB-IoT coverage in rural areas where only 2G exists and the sunset is approaching.
- Physical SIM cost in deployments of hundreds of thousands of units when TCO includes reverse logistics for failures.
- CNMC and ISO 27001 compliance without network segmentation between the operator, the retailer, and the end customer.
- PRIME PLC concentrators that need a single Internet exit point with stable addressing for the operator's SCADA.
Recommended architecture
- 1
Meter with NB-IoT module (preferred) or LTE-M
NB-IoT is the standard for massive smart metering: low power, indoor penetration, licensed band. If the meter must report multiple times per day with low latency (DSO demand response), LTE-M is the better choice.
- 2
Soldered MFF2 SIM with multi-operator eUICC profile
The meter is sealed for 15 years. The MFF2 SIM is soldered onto the PCB — no accessible slot. eUICC lets you switch operators OTA without physical access to the meter, essential when the operator leaves the country or raises rates.
- 3
Private APN with RFC1918 addressing into the operator's VPC
Each concentrator reaches the operator's SCADA over a direct tunnel, never the public Internet. RFC1918 static IP enables strict ACLs and per-meter traceability.
- 4
Data plan with small package + strict alarm
A typical meter sends 1-5 MB/month. Configure a 10 MB plan with an alarm at 5 MB — if a meter exceeds that, it's misconfigured or compromised. Auto-block at 10 MB protects OPEX.
Indicative data plan
| Device | Typical monthly traffic | Recommended plan |
|---|---|---|
| Smart electricity meter (TG) | 1-3 MB/month | Smart-meter 5 MB plan |
| PRIME PLC concentrator (1 per substation) | 50-200 MB/month | 500 MB plan |
| Water/gas meter with LTE-M | 0.5-2 MB/month | Smart-meter 5 MB plan |
| Substation RTU / solar inverter | 100 MB - 1 GB/month | 1 GB / Pooled data |
Indicative figures. More frequent reporting (15-min vs hourly) or frequent alarm events drive consumption up. Request sizing with your specific firmware.
When to use static IP
- The operator's SCADA or head-end accepts only connections from registered IPs to prevent concentrator spoofing.
- Regulatory audit (CNMC, ENS) requires per-reading traceability to a single inventoried IP.
- The head-end initiates connections TO the meter for remote configuration or on-demand reads — not just passive reception.
When to use private APN
- Billing readings must NOT travel over the public Internet — network segmentation by regulation or customer requirement.
- You want internal RFC1918 addressing into your VPC so each electric operator has its own range without collisions.
- ISO 27001 / GDPR compliance for consumption data (which can infer end-customer habits).
Compatible devices
ZIV / Landis+Gyr / Iskraemeco TG meters
Single- and three-phase meters certified for Spanish telegestion (BOE-A-2007-15022). Usually carry a PLC module + cellular communication module in the concentrator.
PRIME PLC concentrators
One concentrator per substation, aggregates readings from several hundred PLC meters and forwards them to the head-end over cellular.
Huawei / SMA / Fronius solar inverters
Report generation, alarms and telemetry to the manufacturer's platform or your SCADA. Need sustained data and low latency for dynamic curtailment.
Substation RTUs (Schneider Saitel, Siemens RTU)
Remote control of grid elements with IEC 60870-5-104, DNP3 protocols. Static IP is mandatory.
Water-quality / flow probes
LPWA equipment with long-life battery reporting via NB-IoT every hour or per event. Target lifetime 10-15 years.
Walk-by readers for non-telegestion gas/water
Spot collection with the SIM in the technician's portable reader, not the meter. Needs flexible plan with broad coverage.
Frequently asked questions
- Do your SIMs meet CNMC requirements for telegestion?
- Yes. SIMs carry 3GPP certification, support SGP.32 eUICC self-provisioning procedures, and can be audited end-to-end (CDR + historic IP). Plans with private APN and static IP meet the network segmentation requirements for smart grids.
- NB-IoT or LTE-M for new meters?
- NB-IoT by default: more energy-efficient, better basement penetration, licensed band. LTE-M when the meter needs low latency for demand response, or when there's international roaming (NB-IoT doesn't roam well in some countries yet).
- What happens when a country shuts down 2G or 3G?
- Meters with eUICC receive a new OTA profile with LTE-M/NB-IoT and keep working. Meters with classic 2G SIM go offline and must be physically replaced — expensive at scale. That's why MFF2 with eUICC is mandatory for new deployments.
- How much does a smart meter actually consume?
- A typical TG electricity meter sends 1-3 MB/month (hourly reads + status). An NB-IoT water meter sends less than 1 MB/month. Oversize the plan at 2x the pilot-measured consumption and configure block alarms.
- Can I migrate my old meters to a private APN without redeployment?
- If the SIMs are swappable (2FF/3FF), yes — physical replacement. If they're MFF2 with eUICC and your operator supports SGP.32, you can do it OTA. If they're MFF2 with a fixed bootstrap profile, no — those meters are effectively 'soldered' to the original operator.
Pre-deployment checklist
- 1Deployment topology and volume: meter count, type (electric TG, water, gas), chosen radio technology (NB-IoT vs LTE-M).
- 2Coverage map by postal code — NB-IoT isn't 100% available in some rural areas yet.
- 3MFF2 + eUICC vs removable SIM decision. MFF2 + eUICC is the only defensible option for 10+ years.
- 4Per-meter data plan with 2x headroom over estimated consumption and 100% block alarm.
- 5Public or private APN with documented addressing and compliance certification (ISO 27001 / ENS).
- 6Documented OTA change-of-operator procedure — what happens if we need to switch operator in year 5?
- 7Integration with the operator's head-end — protocol (IEC 60870-5-104, DLMS/COSEM), reading format, send window.
- 8End-of-life decommission plan — SIM deactivation, portal removal, prorated billing.
- 9GDPR compliance: 15-min readings are personal data of the end customer.
- 10Pilot of 100 meters in 3-5 distinct locations (basement + manhole + shed + outdoor) for 3 months before mass rollout.
Need a printable version? See the pre-deployment guide.
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