Sigfox South Africa lands big smart water meter contract

The National Treasury has awarded Sigfox South Africa the tender for a national smart water metering system that will run on its Internet of Things (IoT) network.

In a statement released on Wednesday, 5 June 2024, the company said the RT29 tender will see the adaption or replacement of existing meters.

“All the new smart meters will run on the nationwide Sigfox IoT network,” said Sigfox South Africa.

It said this would help improve revenue collection and service delivery. The tender was awarded to various system integrators.

Sigfox South Africa CEO Greg Rood says the transition will allow for real-time and more accurate customer billing while improving the management of the country’s increasingly scarce water resources.

He added that the National Treasury’s decision reflects the robustness of Sigfox’s IoT technology.

“Water is a basic human right, and we are proud to be associated with the provision of such essential services, supporting both revenue collections and provision,” said Rood.

“We expect this to be a catalyst to further grow our local IoT and system integrator ecosystem.”

He added that Sigfox was selected for the smart water meter project due to its extensive coverage, robust technology, low power consumption, and service licence agreements associated with the company.

Regarding power consumption, Sigfox’s low-power network technology means a device can run on the same battery for over a decade.

“The technology has an extremely low power reliance,” said Rood.

“Our devices will last for over ten years at one reading a day, which far exceeds the three-year lifespan stipulated on the tender.”

Rood said the extended lifespan essentially allows for an “install and forget” scenario, resulting in reduced costs and the efficient use of resources.

He said Sigfox oG is a popular technology used by utilities around the world, and it has an established track record regarding large commercial utility developments in South Africa.

“The Sigfox SA network already covers 91% of the South African population. Should there be a need to extend or densify the network, this can be achieved quickly and cost-effectively,” says Rood.

“The fact that the network is independent means there is no reliance on Wi-Fi or fibre in the ground.”