• Datakorum a major player in the ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) sector, secures a 5-year project with leading communications operator, e& Enterprise, (previously Etisalat Digital) facilitating the digital transformation of the water and energy management systems in the City of Abu Dhabi, UAE.
  • This major contract award follows the recent announcement that Almar Water Solutions, part of Abdul Latif Jameel Energy, became a significant shareholder in Datakorum as part of its strategy to drive the digital transformation of the global water, energy and mobility sectors through its end-to-end IoT products and services.
  • The contract will use a connectivity-as-a-service (CaaS) model to ensure connectivity between end users, distribution meters and advanced metering infrastructure (AMI).

Datakorum, a leading player in the ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) sector and recently announced investee of Almar Water Solutions, a leading company in the development of water infrastructure and part of Abdul Latif Jameel Energy, has been awarded a contract for a smart-communication project for water and energy infrastructure in Abu Dhabi, (pictured above: Alberto Araque, VP Internet of Things & Artificial Intelligence, Etisalat; Guillermo Escobar, General Manager & Founder, Datakorum and Gonçalo Salvador Fernandes, Corporate Innovation, New Businesses & Ventures, Etisalat).

The contract, with e& Enterprise, (previously Etisalat Digital) for a term of more than five years, with will strengthen the process started by the Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA) to provide connectivity to its advanced metering infrastructure (AMI).

TAQA and e& Enterprise are deploying the communication network and an advanced IoT platform for advanced metering infrastructure, with the goal to both ensure improved efficiency for their customers and contribute to the digitization of the infrastructure, accelerating operational improvements and preparation of the smart grid.

Datakorum will be responsible for supplying the 5G gateways that provide data connectivity to ensure interaction between end users, distribution meters and the AMI.  This will enable TAQA to achieve 100% connectivity between the smart meters in Abu Dhabi.

The scope of the contract initially covers more than 50,000 5G gateways, with NB-IoT and LTE-M connectivity, which will connect dozens of Plug-and-Play smart water and electricity meters, that support all of the communication protocols currently used by this type of meter from the main international brands, and five years of associated services.  This real-time connectivity will provide customers with access to automatic and detailed readings of their current and past water and energy consumption, so that they can better understand and control consumption. This network will serve as the basis for future demand-side management programs, and the meters will pave the way for smart-grid objectives such as capacity control and outage management.

Since 2018, Datakorum has been leading innovation in the development of data connectivity under the CaaS (Connectivity-as-a-Service) model based on 5G communications (NB-IoT) in the water, electricity, gas and mobility sectors, using its proprietary technology to create a communications ecosystem that fully integrates sensors and platforms, which is key in these large infrastructure projects with an enormous variety of products and manufacturers that have to be connected into a single management system.

Carlos Cosín, CEO of Almar Water Solutions, after signing the contract said:

“We have a strong presence in the Middle East developing non-conventional water infrastructure for water supply. We can now also provide solutions that go further, ensuring smart communications.  We are very pleased with the progress of Almar Water Solutions’ new line of business: Industry & Technology”.

Fady Jameel, Deputy President and Vice Chairman of Abdul Latif Jameel, added:

“Through Almar Water Solutions, we are proud to partner with Datakorum.  Undoubtedly, this agreement showcases our commitment to driving the digital transformation and optimization of our water operations, as part of our broader mission to shape the sustainable development of the global water sector.”

Almar Water Solutions recently acquired a stake in Datakorum with the aim of offering smart solutions for the water industry and developing more modern and efficient infrastructure to ensure optimal management.  With this new contract, the company takes the first major step in Smart Infrastructure, working hand in hand with a partner with operations in Spain, Germany, United Arab Emirates and Southeast Asia.

Almar Water Solutions and Abdul Latif Jameel Energy understand how data is increasingly shaping the future of the water sector, making this new partnership with Datakorum important to their strategic positioning in the sector’s digital transformation. Datakorum will support Almar Water Solutions in a number of areas, from enhancing its customer offering with increased data protection, to supporting the digitization of its desalination plants for greater efficiency and cost-saving.

This new partnership will also complement and strengthen Almar Water Solutions’ existing work in the water technology business, which is managed through its Industry and Technology divisions.

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