Wireless Broadband Implementation

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Wireless Broadband Implementation
Rural Telecon 2007Springfield, ILOctober 17,
2007
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This is about leveraginginvestment andskill
sets across business units. Technology is
Wireless Mesh Networking.Point is productivity.
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Illinois Rural Electricbegan in the electric
business in 1936.Its subsidiary was in the
DirecTV business from 1994 to 2004. Internet
from 1996. Started buying small propane
companies in 2003.
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In 2004

• We were 2/3s of the way to fully automatically
  reading the system.
• We had an old SCADA system.
• We had an old load control system.
• Area servicemen had Internet connections in the
  trucks.
• You could pay your bill online!
• GPS mapping, too.

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Cost to stand still500,000,plus telephone
costs then running 30,000 a year.Other
Options?
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Alternatively, we could move to the new
generation of AMIs and build a wireless
communication infrastructure.
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Cost 2 million bucksDoes That Even Make
Sense?
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Annual cost after taking credit fortelephone
savings at the end of 4 years,94,000.About
the same as a lineman, without over-time.
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Added functionality

• TCP/IP based
• Easy to add on
• Multiple systems possible
• Always on

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New SCADA

• Always on
• Communicate with suppliers
• Networkable
• Works for supplier data needs

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New AMI

• Propane/Water
• Two-way communication
• Load control
• Disconnect
• Home automation
• Real time interruptible data

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Additional uses

• Continuously updating data systems at offsite
  locations
• Propane
• Internet

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Apply to propane

• Laptops with Internet connections in trucks
• Batch delivery of electronic tickets via wireless
  system
• Communication via e-mail
• Oh, GPS, too, tied to route books and navigation
  system

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Apply to Internet

• With beam constraints, . . .
• Wireless to members from the co-op at 20 a
  month.
• Wireless for non-members from the subsidiary at
  35 a month.
• As far as seven miles with the now newest
  technology.

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So, heres the story

• Same technology/infrastructure meets co-op needs.
• Same technology/infrastructure meets subsidiary
  needs.
• Same technology/infrastructure meets members
  needs.

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Its kinda like having your cake and eating it,
too. Over and over again.