Sprint is boosting its efforts to support Smart Grid initiatives by electric utility customers by focusing on key applications such as Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), SCADA, Demand-Response (DR) Distribution Management System (DMS) and M2M applications. The underlying foundation of Smart Grid initiatives involves advanced communications, information technology, distributed sensing, and comprehensive data management overlayed to the electric grid to enhance reliability, optimize energy delivery, empower the consumer, and minimize the environmental impact of the industry.
Sprint has supplied embedded CDMA & iDEN based communication technologies for a variety of machine to machine (M2M) applications within the energy and water industries for several years. The company said it now intends to play a key role as a telecommunications provider in helping utility providers to take advantage of the 2009 ARRA “Stimulus” funding opportunities offered by the Department of Energy under the Smart Grid Investment and Development Grant Programs. Sprint intends
“While our competition is just recognizing this space, Sprint has been supporting utility automation for years and most recently the Smart Grid ecosystem, as a key wireless and wireline provider,” says Paget Alves, President — Business Markets Group, Sprint. “Sprint has been at the forefront of advanced telecommunications technologies, a strong proponent of interoperable communications, and provider of secure network connectivity and advanced IT solutions necessary for the operation of the electric Smart Grid today. As the wireless partner of choice for some of the largest utilities in the country, we continue to work with key industry partners to offer utilities innovative solutions to manage their critical communication infrastructure, deliver real-time data services and assist them in achieving optimal energy delivery and service quality.”
In addition to providing smart grid product and service offerings, Sprint highlighted several other of its environmental programs including:
Use of Hydrogen Fuel Cells: Sprint was recently awarded $7.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to expand its use of hydrogen fuel cells as back-up power to cell sites on their network. Currently Sprint has over 250 hydrogen fuel cells deployed at cell sites across their network.
Wireless Recycling: Sprint’s wireless reuse and recycling program were created to prevent thousands of tons of wireless equipment from entering the waste stream. Since 2001, Sprint has collected more than 17 million phones to help conserve resources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prevent air and water pollution. Sprint’s goal, an industry first, is to achieve a 90 percent recycling collection rate. This ambitious goal, set for 2017, translates to Sprint collecting nine phones for reuse and recycling for every 10 phones that we sell. Early results are promising: In 2008, Sprint’s wireless recycling collection rate stood at 34 percent, three times the national average.
Eco Friendly Products and Services: Sprint recently announced the availability of Samsung Reclaim on August 16th, the first phone in the U.S. constructed from eco-friendly bio-plastic materials. Made from 80 percent recyclable materials, Samsung Reclaim is a feature-rich messaging phone for environmentally conscious customers.
http://www.sprint.com/green
