TIM, Olivetti and NTT DATA: the first monitoring service for drinking water is underway

TIM, Olivetti and NTT DATA Italia, in collaboration with the research group 'Sustainable Management of Water Resources' of the Department of Engineering for the Environment and the Territory and Chemical Engineering of the University of Calabria and with the company Acque Potabili Servizi Idrici Integrati, have launched the first experimental service for monitoring drinking water on residential users in the Municipality of Rende (CS), applying a new mathematical model on field that is able to estimate the consumption and demand of water on an hourly basis, fundamental elements for new methods of drinking water supply.

Thanks to the introduction of this service, based on new generation meters that perform and transmit real time consumption, pressure and flow measurements, it will be possible to monitor the status of the Rende municipality's water network in order to identify potential leaks in a timely manner and combat any fraud, with significant cost savings and better service to citizens.

Anticipating some of the capabilities allowed by future 5G networks, the NB-IoT (narrowband -Internet of Things) technology that equips the meters allows to produce ultra-low-power radio transmitting devices that can operate without interruptions for over 10 years. This technology also ensures perfect functionality even in underground areas such as manholes, cellars or boxes.

'With this initiative, which follows the announcement of a new innovation hub in Naples a few days ago, TIM confirms its commitment to the South as an important step for the modernization of the entire country - commented Mario di Mauro, Director of Strategy, Innovation & Customer Experience of TIM -. In particular, this activity is part of a strategic path of gradual enhancement of new opportunities offered by smart metering: after gas monitoring, where it has already achieved a significant market share, TIM is making great strides in the development of water metering, leveraging on advanced technologies and digital skills of Olivetti, with cutting-edge solutions and a rich ecosystem of partners, confirming its constant capacity for innovation '.

'We are proud to be able to share our expertise in projects that contribute concretely to the digitization of our country. Today we see the results of a long-standing path that is based on collaboration with the world of research, universities and prestigious partners. High technology and innovation come together once again to bring added value to the territory ', states Walter Ruffinoni, CEO of NTT DATA Italia. This important experimentation is fundamental for the evolution of our Smart Water Management platform and is a further demonstration of the opportunities generated by technological innovation '.

'With this result we reiterate Olivetti's commitment to serve small and large companies in the utilities sector and confirm our leadership role in the smart metering sector - states Antonio Cirillo, CEO of Olivetti -. Thanks to the new high-efficiency technology NB-IoT, which combines the traditional reliability of mobile networks with a longer operating life of detection devices, we hope to further improve both the quality of the solutions proposed and the range of offers in the portafoglio'.

Cosenza, 11 June 2018