CWG challenges Discos on VAS, introduces electric meter with WiFi


Cyriacus Nnaji:

CWG Plc has challenged Electricity Distribution Companies (Discos) to emulate Telecommunications companies which have shifted from traditional voice and data services to offering value Added services (VAS).
Chief Executive Officer (CEO), of the company, James Agada urged the Discos to offer services that create additional service which include but not limited to Data and Voice Communication, Video Streaming and banking services.
He stated that the deficiencies in ensuring a regulated transmission and distribution that will guarantee profitability and efficiency in the power sector are the key focus of Smart Metering which CWG Plc has in the pipeline for the nation.
Agada while speaking to journalists recently at the company’s head office in Lagos said that Discos can address the issue of revenue generation, infrastructure development thereby enhancing generating capacity.
“The problem is that there is more installed generating capacity than the transmission or grid capacity.”
Agada explained that the Right of Way (RoW) license could allow Discos offer fibre cabling services, while the poles, Towers and distribution points could serve as Microcell Towers, WiFi Hotspots, IoT hubs, and Aggregators.
He further stated that the customer addresses at their disposals could be accessed for a fee for logistic planning even as the Bill payment history and energy consumption can be used for income prediction & classification and credit scoring.
The company said the Smart Meter will, aside from the traditional functions of a metering device, work as a WiFi hotspot and has the capability of transmitting Digital Television signal into homes.
“We can use Value Added Services to solve the energy crisis we are facing today. The meter comes with a mobile application. It is software-controlled and therefore can run as either postpaid or prepaid.
“The meters will be coming to the consumer with a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) embedded, thereby offering the electricity consumers additional value added service (VAS),” Agada said

Also speaking on the Smart Meter, Vice President, Corporate Development, Daniel Das stated that one of the special features of the Metering device is the installed anti-theft feature and the high speed 4G LTE Router. He said CWG has succeeded in combining power, telecom, and banking onto one platform, saying that Discos lose money through meter bypass and overhead hooking by some consumers.
In his words “Metering is not viable without theft prevention.”
He further noted that the meter also monitors and measures dual energy sources (public power and generator supplies), remotely managing energy consumption, setting limits on usage and offers remote disconnect/reconnect capability.
According to the company, with Smart Metering, theft prevention and utility analytics will lead to improved revenue and healthy utility, which will further ensure satisfied, paying consumers.
“More money can be made by Discos than they are making now by investing in the right infrastructure,” Das said.
The Smart Metering device has been tested and demonstration in some areas within Lagos will commence before the end of the year. The company expects to sign agreements with some Discos and begin phased rollout subsequently.
Das also highlighted that CWG smart meters come in two format, namely single phase and three phases



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