Senior Telecom Engineer Black & Veatch Overland Park, Kansas, United States
As utilities move toward the next evolution of Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI 2.0), the need for smarter, faster, and more resilient communications networks is becoming critical. The growing complexity of the grid-driven by distributed energy resources (DERs), advanced analytics, and real-time monitoring-is fueling an unprecedented surge in AMI data volumes. Utilities must rethink how information flows from millions of endpoints to the head-end and beyond to ensure performance, scalability, and reliability.
This session highlights a conceptual design study conducted in collaboration with Itron that explores hybrid network architectures blending proven RF mesh with LTE/5G direct-to-meter connectivity. By leveraging the strengths of multiple technologies, utilities can address emerging requirements while future-proofing their infrastructure investments.
Attendees will gain valuable insights into: Comparative analysis of hybrid configurations Use case-driven traffic modeling and its impact on bandwidth and latency Strategic LTE/5G and mesh deployment considerations Infrastructure requirements to support scalable, adaptable AMI networks
Whether planning your first deployment or upgrading to AMI 2.0, this session provides a roadmap to designing communications networks that can meet tomorrow's grid demands today.