Case Study: Ausgrid builds a smart grid wireless network with Ericsson LTE

Australia’s largest electricity distributor builds wireless network for smart grid

Ausgrid, Australia’s largest electricity distributor, needed a reliable wireless communications platform to support its smart grid rollout across Sydney and regional areas north of Sydney. The utility wanted a common network for smart meters, sensor data, field workforce devices, and substations, with the flexibility to move from WiMAX toward mainstream LTE. Ericsson was chosen to help provide this next-generation connectivity.

Ericsson designed and rolled out a multi-vendor wireless access network, integrated it with Ausgrid’s existing OSS, and delivered an LTE pilot to support the transition over time. The solution will connect 12,000 smart monitoring devices, up to 3,000 mobile field computers, and 200 zone substations, helping Ausgrid improve real-time visibility, reliability, and maintenance planning while also lowering whole-of-life costs through open standards and LTE economies of scale.

Ausgrid

George Maltabarow

Managing Director