Vi Business deploys 16.7 lakh smart meters for EESL in UP, Haryana discoms

Vodafone Idea Business, the enterprise arm of the telecom services provider, has installed 16.7 lakh advance meters at discoms of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana under its partnership with EESL. India’s third-largest carrier has got a contract for installing 50 lakh Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled smart meters in the two states. 

The Vi IoT enabled smart meters have resulted in substantial improvement in monthly meter readings. The deployment of smart meters have also helped in improving billing and collection efficiency and has led to huge upside revenue for the discoms, thereby boosting their financial standing, the companies said in a statement Monday. 

Arvind Nevatia, chief enterprise business officer, Vodafone Idea, said, “This partnership reiterates Vi Business’s commitment in offering tailor-made, smooth and fully secured IoT solution which enables robust business efficiency and growth. The Vi IoT enabled smart meters minimises human intervention in the overall metering, billing and collection process and helps reduce theft by identifying loss pockets. We look forward to a successful partnership with EESL and discoms.” 

EESL is deploying India's first large-scale smart metering project under the Smart Meter National Programme (SMNP), in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, New Delhi and Andaman. EESL has taken IoT Services from Vodafone Idea for the network connectivity in discoms of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. About 5.16 lakh smart meters have been deployed in discoms of Haryana and 11.55 lakh in discoms of Uttar Pradesh. 

Arun Kumar Mishra, CEO, EESL, said, “EESL smart meters are transforming India's energy landscape by increasing billing and collection efficiency; reducing operation and maintenance costs; enhancing the quality of services and providing consumers with demand side management (DSM) options. EESL is extremely satisfied to have Vodafone Idea Limited as its AMI communications partner. We look forward to replicating these successful stories on AMI projects, pan India.”