In the news
2011
Grid Net Goes Cellular with SmartSynch
November 29, 2011 — It’s been awhile since we’ve heard from Grid Net, the startup founded on the idea of using WIMAX to link smart meters and other smart grid devices in a high-speed, high-bandwidth wireless network. In the company’s early days, founder Ray Bell made it known that he believed lower-bandwidth mesh networks — including that of current U.S. market leader Silver Spring Networks, which he led as CEO from 2003 to 2005 — weren’t up to the smart meter networking task.
How Secure Is the Smart Grid?
February 1, 2011 — “The smart grid should not be built if it’s not built securely.”
2010
Grid Net Embraces LTE for Smart Grid
December 6, 2010 — Grid Net, the smart grid software maker, has officially moved beyond the wireless standard WiMAX and this morning announced that its software now supports the 4G wireless standard LTE (Long Term Evolution), the dominate next-gen wireless standard embraced by U.S. telcos.
Grid Net makes play for U.S. market
November 4, 2010 — Up until now, Grid Net has been running its PolicyNet platform in Australia, where it has about 30 percent market share. The company is also unique for championing the WiMAX standard in smart grid communications. With this latest release, Grid Net is now ready to grow some more.
Why won’t utility companies innovate? Smart Grid leaders explain
November 4, 2010 — “The Smart Grid and all this infrastructure renaissance implies that you’re going to gain a benefit,” Carvallo said. “If no benefit can be seen in a short period of time, then the utility’s not gonna make the investment.”
What’s Next, Now? Sprint Has Redefined M2M Opportunities for Businesses Only 12 Months After Launching Emerging Solutions Unit
October 7, 2010 — During the third quarter, new smart grid partnerships with Grid Net and Landis+Gyr were announced. The addition of these partners backs up Sprint’s commitment to assist customers in a variety of industries as they transform their business models using 3G and 4G mobile broadband.
Intel, Grid Net Launch Assault on Home Energy
September 30, 2010 — Ray Bell joined Intel on stage to announce that the Australian utility Energy Australia will be deploying home energy monitoring devices and sensors with Intel’s chips and Grid Net’s software inside. Energy Australia won a $100 million grant from the Australian government to carry out the Smart Grid Smart City demonstration project.
Andres Carvallo and 13 others elected to UTC’s Smart Networks Council Board of Directors
September 24, 2010 — To reflect the utility industry’s ongoing emphasis on the Smart Grid, UTC’s Smart Networks Council Board recently held elections to expand the board beyond its original size. The Smart Networks Council is an operating unit of the Utilities Telecom Council (UTC) that deals specifically with smart grid related issues.
Airspan and Grid Net to Enable 4G Smart Grids for Utilities
September 22, 2010 — The combined Airspan and Grid Net 4G Smart Grid network solution supports localized operation and enforcement of distribution automation, smart metering, demand response, distributed generation management, and energy storage management functions across the grid.
Grid Net Partners With Sprint for Utility Market
September 13, 2010 — Grid Net’s customers have contracted to use Grid Net’s software to manage 2.7 million devices. Also, the Australian government chose Grid Net as the software platform to be used in the devices in the Smart Grid, Smart City community located in New South Wales.
Grid Net’s smart grid solutions to harness Sprint 4G network
September 13, 2010 — The use of 4G and the partnership with Sprint is a first for smart grid industry, and Grid Net says its 4G-ready products are available today. Sprint unveiled its 4G network earlier this year in conjunction with its hot-selling HTC Evo 4G phone, and claims the network can deliver data transfer at speeds up to 10 times that of 3G networks.
Grid Net Scores a Crucial Smart Grid Partner: Sprint
September 13, 2010 — WiMAX has been able to get to market more quickly than LTE, which is one reason why a carrier like Sprint has invested in it. WiMAX is also an open standard; heavyweights like Motorola, Intel and GE have supported the technology; and because of economies of scale, WiMAX chips have expected to drop in price dramatically, enabling a low-cost network deployment.
Grid Net: A look under the Smart Grid Hood
September 10, 2010 — Our security technology is second to none in the world. It is the only end-to-end NIST, NERC CIP, and FIPS compliant solution for the smart grid available today. Grid Net’s approach to Smart Grid security is “multi-level/multi-layer,” which is why our smart-meter and smart-router technology contains secure data encryption, and secure data transport via secure broadband communications networks.
U.S. electricity blackouts skyrocketing
August 9, 2010 — Carvallo jokes about the so-called “Easy Button” at Austin Energy. It’s not really a big red button on the wall, but it is a mechanism that allows an operator to control tens of thousands of home thermostats. “Austin is two to three years ahead of everybody else,” said Carvallo, now chief strategy officer for the smart grid software firm Grid Net.
WiMAX and Smart Grid
August 2, 2010 — The technology has been carving out a small but growing niche in the smart grid. For instance, GE Energy has developed WiMAX smart meters, which are being used in several pilot programs. The vendor teamed with Grid Net on one deployment with Australian utility SP AusNET. “Australia is an interesting market because it is already deregulated and utilities are aggressively rolling out smart grids,” said Grid Net’s McGarry. By 2013, the network will monitor electricity usage for more than 680,000 customers in Victoria.
Cisco, Cooper Power Systems, Tropos Networks, Grid Net, and U-SNAP Alliance Join Smart Grid Coalition
July 29, 2010 — “The deployment of the smart grid is no longer something that will happen at some point in the future. It is happening now, and that is good for consumers and good for the country as everyone looks for options to reduce energy use and energy costs.”
Grid Net, Oracle Join Forces to Extend Smart Grid Software
July 20, 2010 — Grid Net landed a plum alliance with this Oracle deal, buddying up with one of the companies that has been serving utilities for years.
Grid Net & Oracle Team Up Over Smart Grid
July 20, 2010 — The win is significant for Grid Net, given Oracle has been selling software to utilities for years.
It’s a WiMAX Smart Grid World In Australia
June 9, 2010 — EnergyAustralia’s $100 million smart grid project will include the rollout of substation automation and electric vehicles, as well as 50,000 smart meters and 15,000 home energy displays.
Grid Net’s Expansion Plans
May 4, 2010 — “The rival today is the legacy of how things have been done.” — Andres Carvallo
Cisco buys into WiMax for Smart Grid, acquires stake in Grid Net
March 25, 2010 — In addition to Cisco buying into WiMAX, General Electric also announced today that it’s launching its own Smart Grid pilot project that will test WiMAX in tandem with Consumers Energy, a utility based in Michigan.
Cisco investing in smart grid start-up
March 25, 2010 — [W]ith Cisco now as an investor, it might be a good bet that Grid Net will, in fact, become a standard trendsetter.
Cisco Buys Stake In San Francisco Smart-Grid Company
March 25, 2010 — Cisco Systems Inc. has bought a stake in a privately-held smart grid company, marking the networking giant’s first investment in a technology it sees as being part of its future growth.
Cisco Invests in Grid Net
March 25, 2010 — Cisco has made an equity investment for an undisclosed amount in Grid Net, a move that will give a boost to both in the grid.
The U.S. WiMAX Smart Grid: Cisco Backs Grid Net, Michigan Pilot
March 25, 2010 — The news that Grid Net has received an equity stake from Cisco, changes the landscape of the smart grid infrastructure players.
Grid Net snags Austin Energy CIO Andres Carvallo
March 16, 2010 — The hire is a major boon for Grid Net, adding to the expertise of CEO Ray Bell, who brought experience in smart grid technology from both Cisco Systems and Grid Net competitor Silver Spring Networks. The company has carved out a niche for itself, promoting WiMAX as the best solution for transmitting energy-consumption data between meters and utilities.
7 Questions for Grid Net’s New Chief Strategist Andres Carvallo
March 16, 2010 — Grid Net, the startup that’s been advocating a smart grid based on the wireless standard WiMAX, has just gotten a new high profile Chief Strategy Officer: Former Austin Energy CIO Andres Carvallo, architect of one of the first smart grids in the U.S. and the man who coined the term “the smart grid” itself. While we reported the news this morning, here’s our edited phone call interview with Carvallo on why he joined Grid Net, what he plans to do for the young startup, and how Grid Net’s vision of the smart grid isn’t just about WiMAX.
Grid Net Scores Austin Energy CIO for Chief Strategist
March 16, 2010 — Carvallo is known for helping Austin Energy deploy one of the first smart grid networks in the U.S., and says he originally coined the term “smart grid” back in April 2007. Before he joined Austin Energy to lead its smart grid efforts he was an exec at a variety of start-ups and larger tech firms including Philips Electronics, Digital Equipment Corporation, and Borland and Carvallo started his career as a product manager for Microsoft. So returning to the world of Silicon Valley and technology isn’t such a stretch.
2009
Top 10 Trends for the Smart Grid in 2010, Courtesy of Ray Bell
December 22, 2009 — Predicting the next 12 months is both unavoidable and irresistible at this time of year, so here are my best guesses for what’s in store for the Smart Grid in 2010.
Motorola, GE Are Part of WiMax-Based Smart Grid Program
Motorola, GE and Grid Net are part of a group of companies looking to bring a WiMax 4G-based smart grid program to Australia. Officials with the companies say the initiative will be the first smart grid based on the WiMax wireless platform. The program includes the installation of smart meters in almost 700,000 households and businesses in Australia by 2013.
SP AusNet Selects GE for World’s First 4G Communications Smart Grid Solution, Delivering Revolutionary Security and Reliability Benefits
October 22, 2009 — GE Energy Services announced today that SP AusNet, one of Australia’s largest utilities, will be the first in the world to implement GE’s WiMAX fourth-generation (4G) smart grid solution. Working with other top-tier technology and telecommunications companies, GE is introducing a game-changing smart grid solution to deliver revolutionary security and reliability benefits to nearly 700,000 Australian households, while helping SP AusNet prepare for the future of smart grid innovation—from plug-in cars to solar on rooftops.
GE, Grid Net Win WiMAX Smart Grid Project in Australia
October 22, 2009 — General Electric and Grid Net have landed the first big WiMax smart meter deployment with utility SP AusNet in Australia. Could more WiMAX smart meters be on the horizon?
The WiMAX Smart Grid Is Here, Brought to You By Grid Net
October 22, 2009 — This morning Grid Net, a startup that has developed smart grid software based on WiMAX, is officially launching itself, unveiling its software product and announcing Australian utility customer SP AusNet, as well as a whole host of partners including GE, Motorola, Cisco, Intel, and WiMAX service provider Clearwire.
SP AusNet Implementing Smart Grid Tech From GE, Motorola, GridNet
October 22, 2009 — GE is providing the meter communications technology across the network and supplying half of the project’s smart meters. GridNet is providing its PolicyNet SmartGrid network management system software suite to manage the meters, controllers, switches and other devices. Motorola is providing the communications infrastructure.
Where Can WiMAX Catch a Break? The Smart Grid
October 22, 2009 — SP AusNet’s John Steel said the utility chose WiMAX in general and Grid Net’s technology in particular because it wanted to build a network based on open standards, one that’s interoperable with a wide range of technologies.
Utility Interest in WiMAX for Smart Grid Growing
September 11, 2009 — [A]nother reason to use WiMAX on the smart grid is that WiMAX is an open standard that can benefit from the economies of scale created by participating companies like GE, Intel and Motorola. That means the price point of WiMAX gear is expected to come down dramatically if the technology gains traction. Ray Bell, CEO of smart-grid software maker Grid Net, told us that WiMAX chipsets currently cost around $36, but in a year they’ll be closer to $12, and in another six months they could hit $8 or even $6.
OASIS Members Form Committee to Define Transaction Standards for Smart Grid
August 25, 2009 — The international open standards consortium, OASIS, has formed a new group to enable the collaborative and transactive use of energy. The new OASIS Energy Interoperation Technical Committee will develop Web services-based information and communication models for exchanging dynamic pricing, reliability, and emergency signals.
2008
Six Reasons to Start Considering WiMax Today
May 15, 2008 — Newcomer Grid Net has allied with General Electric and Intel to bring a new generation of electrical power meters to homes and businesses. These meters come with mobile WiMax built in. The resulting Smart Grid communications and networking platform promises to allow both the utility company and customers to be able to actively manage and control their electrical use and costs, and to make WiMax as ubiquitous as electrical power. American Electric Power and EnergyAustralia are already deploying these smart power meters.
Sprint and Clearwire Seal $14.5 Billion WiMax Deal
May 7, 2008 — Sprint Nextel and Clearwire will form a joint venture worth US$14.5 billion to deploy the first nationwide mobile WiMax network, they said Wednesday. The new company, which will be called Clearwire, is also backed by Intel, Google, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Brightcove Networks.
A Smarter, Greener Grid
May 7, 2008 — The clunky, brownout-prone electricity distribution system is about to enter the Computer Age, and Grid Net’s smart meter could be the key.
Press contact
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pr@grid-net.com