Utility AMI Rollouts
Head-end and meter data management for large scale smart meter programmes.
Metering
Head-end, meter data and prepayment vending systems.
AMI software that reads your meters, manages their data and sells prepaid credit, integrating with your billing and customer systems. The prepayment vending system is STS6 certified.
- Head-end system
- Reads and controls meters
- Meter data management
- Stores, validates and reports
- Prepayment vending
- STS6 certified
- Billing and customer systems
- Standard interfaces, IEC 61968 (CIM)
The range
A complete AMI software suite for smart and prepaid metering: a head-end system to communicate with meters, meter data management to store and use the data, and a prepayment vending system to sell credit. Each part works with open standards and standard interfaces.
Head-End System
The head-end system is the control centre of the AMI network. It reads meters and concentrators on schedule and on demand, sends commands such as remote connection and disconnection, manages firmware upgrades and time synchronisation, and flags alarms and events as they arrive.
Meter Data Management
Collected data is held in a central repository, validated, and estimated or edited where readings are missing. It is turned into reports such as load profiles, reading success rates, power quality and line loss analysis, and shared with your other systems through standard interfaces.
Prepayment Vending Management System
Sells and manages prepaid electricity. Credit is sold online or offline and loaded to the meter as an STS token, or sent remotely in online prepaid mode. The system is STS6 certified, and manages vendors, vendor credit, tariffs, deductions and meters.
Billing and Customer Systems
For postpaid customers, meter data feeds billing and collection. The systems integrate with your customer, billing and enterprise resource planning systems through standard interfaces, so you keep the systems you already run. A billing system is also available.
Multi Utility Metering
Electricity, water and gas meters can share one two way smart network, so a single system serves all three utilities.
Meters and Networks
The systems work with the meters and communication technologies in our range, from prepaid and smart single phase and three phase meters to power line, RF mesh, LoRaWAN and cellular networks. See meter communications and gateways for the network options.
Specifications
Typical capabilities for the standard system. Final configuration is confirmed for each project.
Customised designs available. If your project needs ratings, features, design requirements or arrangements outside the standard range below, we design and manufacture to your requirements and application.
Technical dataAMI systems
| Parameter | Standard |
|---|---|
| Head-end system | |
| Reading | Scheduled and on demand reading and re-reading |
| Remote control | Remote connect and disconnect, with task management |
| Time synchronisation | Scheduled or manual, from NTP servers or a built in GPS time synchroniser |
| Firmware | Remote upgrade, scheduled or manual |
| Alarms and events | Near real time monitoring, with events and alarms flagged for action |
| Device setup | Automatic device discovery, configuration and service activation |
| Network management | Network management system (NMS) for the AMI network |
| Meter protocols | DLMS (HLS and LLS), DLMS gateway, DSMR |
| Integration | IEC 61968 (CIM), web service and XML |
| Security | SSL/TLS, key data encryption, anti injection |
| Meter data management | |
| Data processing | Data repository, validation, estimation and editing (VEE) |
| Reports | Load profile, frozen data, alarms and events, reading success rate, power quality |
| Analysis | Line loss analysis and big data analytics |
| Connected systems | Customer, billing, collection, enterprise resource planning and vending systems |
| Prepayment vending management system | |
| Standard | STS6 certified |
| Token security | STS 3DES encryption of credit tokens |
| Vending | Online and offline vending, invoices and refunds, and remote operation in online prepaid mode |
| Tariffs | Single, step and time of use tariffs |
| Deductions | Debt recovery and fixed charge deduction schemes |
| Vendor management | Vendors and vendor credit, SGC and key load file (KLF) management |
| Meter and token management | Match, replace, block and unblock meters and users, batch and free tokens |
| Scale | Sized to the project, with no fixed limit on meters |
| Performance | Next page displays in under 3 seconds, with more than 50 concurrent users |
| Integration | IEC 61968 and XML web service |
Design and performance
One system from the meter to the bill, built on open standards.
One System from Meter to Billing
The head-end system, meter data management and vending work together, so readings, tokens, tariffs and customer records stay consistent from the meter to the bill.
Open Integration
Standard interfaces let the systems exchange data with your customer, billing and enterprise systems, so you can add AMI without replacing what you already use.
Online and Offline Vending
Credit can be sold online, or offline where connectivity is limited, and delivered to the meter as a token or remotely, so prepaid customers can recharge in the way that suits them.
Flexible Tariffs
Single, step and time of use tariffs, with debt recovery and fixed charge schemes, can be configured and changed without touching the meter.
Secure by Design
STS token encryption, SSL/TLS, encrypted key data and intrusion prevention protect credit, customer data and meter commands.
Remote Management
Firmware upgrades, time synchronisation, device setup and alarm handling are done from the head-end system, so far fewer site visits are needed.
Reports to Suit
Reports can be customised to your requirements, with query filters, graphs and data lists for operations, revenue and network teams.
Applications
Delstar supplies this equipment for:
Prepaid Electricity Programmes
STS6 certified vending for utilities and metering providers selling prepaid credit.
Metering Service Providers
Reading, data management and vending for providers that run meters on behalf of others.
Meter Population Upgrades
Bringing existing and new smart meters onto one head-end system.
Multi Utility Metering
Electricity, water and gas meters on one smart network.
Island and Remote Utilities
Cellular connected meters that report straight to the head-end system.
Sourcing and quality assurance
Our AMI software comes from an established metering manufacturer that designs its head-end, meter data management, prepayment vending and billing software together with its own meters, communication modules and gateways. The prepayment vending system is STS6 certified, and the manufacturer's AMI systems have been delivered on utility rollouts of hundreds of thousands to over a million meters. Delstar checks each order against your specification and delivers across New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific.
Lifecycle support
- Specification and selection: we help match the head-end, meter data and vending software to your meter population, communication networks and existing billing systems.
- Training and support: technical training and ongoing support through our asset management service.
Talk to our team
Plan your AMI system.
Tell us the number and type of meters, your communication network, whether you need prepayment, and the billing and customer systems you use. We will recommend the right system.