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The utilities sector has long been a pioneer when it comes to technology adoption, but recent developments in network connectivity and sensors have opened up a whole new world of opportunities. At the Integrated Transport Electricity Gas Research Laboratory (InTEGReL) we are exploring all of these opportunities, and within this environment my team at Invisible Systems is working with Northern Gas Networks on the development of a low-cost universal data capture device linked to sensors monitoring a variety of conditions across multiple gas, water and electricity networks.

Our sensors are a core part of the work at InTEGReL. Dotted around the 15-acre InTEGReL site, they are monitoring a range of conditions from network pressure to environmental data, including temperature, humidity and CO2 levels. These sensors transmit that data in real time to our centralised dashboard. From there the team keep track of the various metrics and can quickly identify and react to changes. Additionally, if pre-determined data thresholds are breached, real-time alerts are triggered and notifications are sent via text, email or in some cases, voice calls.

Private networks, and increasingly 5G private networks, are the powerful backbone behind digital transformation in some of the world's largest industrial companies. With low latency, high availability and broad coverage, 5G is fuelling the move towards automation. It’s also helping these companies to embrace the new industrial revolution and implement advanced technologies on their very own networks, throughout their extensive campus environments.

The rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) has created a magnitude of new connected devices and in turn, a magnitude of entry points waiting to be breached. An even bigger issue is that many IoT devices are easier to target than conventional devices, making them the new endpoint of choice for cybercriminals everywhere.

Companies know that the initial measures they implemented as a tactical response to the crisis of 2020 must now mature into something more sustainable. Many enterprises are now looking at how they can sustain working-from-home in the long-term and begin a phased reopening of offices and retail locations.

This article is also available in Italian / Questo articolo è disponibile in Italiano.

Businesses across the globe are pushing forward with digital transformation projects as organisations look to increase efficiencies, become more flexible and equip themselves to react quicker to change. From changing work practices and rolling out widescale remote working to introducing new products or services, companies are looking to SD WAN to drive these changes.

For most people, 30 years seems far away, but it feels like next week to those of us working to meet the UK government's 2050 target for Net-Zero carbon emissions. Both for myself at Northern Gas Networks and for my colleagues in other utilities, the Integrated Transport Electricity Gas Research Laboratory (InTEGReL) facility is an important aid as we look to accelerate the pathway to decarbonisation, not just for a single utility, but from a whole-system perspective.

In the ever-evolving business landscape the successful organisation is agile and has the know-how and capacity to adapt. Sectors ranging from Manufacturing, Ports, Airports to Energy are using technology to help them to react quicker to market conditions, competitive pressures and extraordinary global events. Richard Hart of CKHIOD highlights the way in which these verticals are embracing 5G private networks to drive through digital transformation.

Digital transformation doesn’t look the same in every organisation. For some, reimagining core elements of the business comes more easily, while in more traditional sectors, this level of change is profoundly uncomfortable.

For utility companies, digital transformation has a unique complexity and urgency. With dispersed infrastructures, including network elements that may be decades or even centuries old, it's challenging for utilities to achieve business objectives and meet regulatory requirements, which in the UK include a net-zero carbon emission deadline of 2050. And as regulated entities, utilities don't set their own prices, so driving efficiencies is the only way to realising a profitable business.

Digital transformation and the drive to deliver closer integration between online and off-line shopping was already a clear challenge for fast-moving consumer goods companies. But the unexpected crisis of 2020 has posed even greater difficulties, and companies are planning now how to adapt. It’s more important than ever to recognise how data, specifically mobility data, can guide business decisions.

For robust network connectivity, where there is often a seamless transition from a fixed line to a cellular network in the event of an outage, a high level of sophistication, visibility and control is required behind the scenes. Richard Taylor, IoT Business Development Manager with CKHIOD, explains how a cellular backup network with granular control is transforming the service resellers can provide to their customers.