Avanci Smart Meter
Licensing 4G, 3G & 2G cellular connected smart meters
Smart meters with cellular technology provide real-time information for informed decision-making, eliminating the need for proximity to the meter.
These devices enable greater control over energy consumption and can enhance the sustainability of utility distribution grids by reducing energy losses and minimizing new network build-out.
They also contribute to conserving resources like electricity, water, and natural gas.
Cellular communication technologies are crucial for smart meters, but manufacturers often face challenges in identifying necessary licenses, relevant organizations, and fair pricing due to the complex nature of technologies developed through open standardization by numerous inventors and institutions.
Licensees participating in Avanci Smart Meter
Licensors participating in Avanci Smart Meter
Pricing – Always fair.
Avanci shares a commitment with the IoT ecosystem to make licenses for the latest standard wireless technologies available in a way that is fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND). This well-established industry principle ensures that those using standardized technologies in their products have access on fair terms, and those creating wireless technology receive a fair return on their investment.
Fair, fixed prices for smart meters
The royalty rate in an Avanci Smart Meter license will never increase during the term of the license, regardless of:
- The number of 3G and 4G essential patents added to the license
- How many new licensors join the Avanci Smart Meter program
Avanci provides predictability, transparency and simplicity for Smart Meter manufacturers and grid operators.
Smart meter pricing
We offer these rates, paid once per smart meter, covering the meter’s lifetime.
| Cellular smart meters | |
|---|---|
| 3G | $2 |
| 3G & 4G | $3 |
The above pricing may change in the future for new licenses.
FAQs – We’re doing things in a new way
Our focus on making things easy means we’re always here to answer your questions.
The Avanci Smart Meter licensing program defines smart meters as electronic devices that record, generate, transmit, and/or receive information regarding the production, use, flow, or consumption of a utility, such as electric energy, water, or gas, and communicate that information wirelessly, but do not use cellular functionality for any non-utility related purpose.
The 3G license covers the 3G and 2G essential patents of our licensors. Our 4G license covers 4G, as well as 3G and 2G, essential patents of our licensors for smart meters that implement Category 1 (including Cat 1 bis or any other variant of Cat 1) and higher categories of the LTE/4G standard. Smart meters that communicate solely using the NB-IoT and/or LTE-M subsets of the 4G standard are not covered by the program.
Not today, but we are exploring the potential for a 5G program. Contact us if this is of interest to you either as a licensor or a smart meter manufacturer or grid operator.
