Arqiva
Dedicated, secure, resilient and universal communications infrastructure
The benefits of smart metering and smart grids must be made available to every household throughout Great Britain and it must be cost effective to roll-out.
Not all communications technologies, however, are designed to support this. What’s more, domestic meters are often situated indoors, under the stairs, in cellars or boundary boxes within the footpath, where traditional consumer communication networks were not specifically designed to reach. We believe it is important to ensure that the smart metering communications solution can connect with every meter in Great Britain. We also believe that the communications network should be dedicated to its purpose of supporting smart metering, secure-by-design and offer the highest levels of resilience. And, based on our experience in the design, deployment, operation and investment in large scale communications network we believe that long range radio is the best way to deliver these key attributes.
Arqiva operates at the heart of the broadcast, satellite and mobile communications markets
Arqiva provides much of the national infrastructure behind television, radio, satellite and wireless communications upon which mission-critical services are based. Customers include major broadcasters such as the BBC, ITV, BSkyB and the independent radio groups, major telco providers including the UK’s five mobile network operators, and the UK police, fire, ambulance and other emergency services. The company provides terrestrial TV services to 99% of the population as part of a regulated business model.
Arqiva is successfully managing the Digital Switch Over (DSO) programme – a complex national telecommunications infrastructure programme, where consumer engagement is critical to its success.
With 16,000 strategically located masts, towers and rooftops around the UK, and its own spectrum and willingness to invest, Arqiva is well placed to offer a national radio-based Wide Area Network (WAN) solution to underpin ubiquitous indoor meter connectivity as part of a Central Communications Service for smart metering.