Interesting story....
Wonder if MUCP and UDatanet are working on a similar opportunity here in the United States, as the story below details. Would be a pertinent question for the management team come June 15th....... might just have to ask it, and about any other "strategic partnerships" they may have in the works....... Enjoy !!
Advanced Communications Technologies Affiliate Australon Ltd Successfully
Demonstrates Automatic Metering Reading Rolling Blackout Solution
Los Angeles-June 4, 2001-Advanced Communications Technologies Inc.
(OTCBB:ADVC) (ACT-US) today announced that one of its Australian-based
affiliates, Australon Limited (ASX:AUR) has successfully demonstrated its
wireless remote automated meter reading (AMR) technology in a real time
field trial environment.
The AMR technology is currently being demonstrated in a field trial in the
inner-Melbourne suburb of Richmond, Victoria. The trial has successfully
transmitted AMR data, taken at 15 minutes intervals, back to a network
operations centre located in the Melbourne CBD. In addition, the trial has
also allowed for the successful collection of valuable Demand Side
Management (DSM) information and demonstrated the technology’s Remote
Connect/Disconnect (RCD) functionality for turning power on and off at
specific locations.
The success of this trial is an important milestone in validating the
Australon AMR technology in a real-world environment. As previously
announced, the Company plans that a larger scale trial of the Australon
AMR technology will be undertaken in conjunction with a major utility in
the coming months. It is expected that successful completion of the trial
will lead to a full-scale roll out of the AMR technology across the
utility’s customer base of one million homes. Australon is currently
negotiating with several utilities across Australia representing a
customer base of four and a half million homes.
"The crippling rolling blackouts in California are a prime example of the
need for the real time demand side management capabilities offered by
Australon’s AMR technology", said Roger May, Chairman of ACT-US. "We
believe that the AMR unit’s ability to actively monitor loadings would
enable utilities to shut down items selectively leaving the majority of
users free to enjoy uninterrupted power supply. With the successful
implementation of this trial we now have a demonstrably successful example
of Australon’s leading edge AMR technology that can be demonstrated to any
utility in the world from any location in the world via the internet. This
ability to definitively demonstrate the cost and time saving advantages of
the AMR technology should prove a powerful tool in generating revenues and
we believe it will lead to a dramatic increase in interest in the
Australon AMR technology by power utilities around the world".
One of the most significant advantages of the Australon AMR technology is
that it can be installed in the home for a total cost of $A150, inclusive
of equipment and installation.
Live Internet demonstration of the AMR technology
A working demonstration of the AMR technology used in the Richmond trial
is available on-line at australon.com.au where
visitors can read electricity meters and control load usage via the
internet. |
