DCC and Vodafone win Alliance of the Year at IoT Breakthrough Awards

The strategic partnership between DCC and Vodafone brings 4G connectivity to Britain’s smart meter network with a new 15-year agreement, enabling households to manage their energy use and supporting the move towards net zero for many years to come. 

The alliance between DCC and Vodafone establishes the building and operating of managed IoT connectivity and supporting services for the nationwide smart meter network, which connects over half of Britain’s homes today. With Vodafone’s significant investment in 4G and 5G, DCC’s 4G communication hubs will be supported by a network that can provide services for many years to come. By providing higher bandwidth connectivity to smart meters, Vodafone is enabling DCC to deliver an economical, efficient, and future-proof service for smart metering communication services that will allow service continuity and reliability over the long-term, driving better value for energy consumers.

The DCC's smart meter network forms the digital spine of the transforming energy system. Our 'wide area network' reaches 99.3% of properties across the country and is already connecting over half the homes in Britain, allowing smart meters to connect with energy suppliers and putting consumers in control of their energy use.

The effective partnership between DCC and Vodafone will help households benefit from a national smart energy system, allowing people to control the extra demands on their electricity supply, such as plugging in electric vehicles and other smart devices which are linked to the 'internet-of-things'. This will help people charge their appliances when costs are lower and ensure stability across the network, bolstering the UK's energy independence and allowing bill payers to manage their energy use more effectively.

Vodafone provides the backbone of connectivity for SMETS1 smart meters and has been a participant in the complex task of migrating meters from various sources onto the DCC platform, ensuring minimal impact to customers and energy consumers.

DCC and Vodafone's alliance is more than just a partnership; it's a testament to our shared intention to collaborate, innovate, and create a profound and lasting impact. By successfully working together to pilot our new Strategic Supplier Management approach we've moved beyond mere delivery to embark on a journey that will unlock the true potential of smart metering and IoT interoperability allowing us to turn insights into meaningful decisions for a brighter, interconnected future. By developing this partnership with Vodafone, DCC has access to increased knowledge-sharing and innovation that will allow the smart meter network to be a key policy delivery platform to help the UK digitise the energy system, accelerate progress towards net zero, and allow the adoption of new technologies that will allow consumers to manage their energy usage more effectively, whilst providing grid flexibility and security.

Steve Johannsson, Managing Director at IoT Breakthrough, commented:

“Congratulations to DCC and Vodafone for being our ‘IoT Alliance of the Year’ winners. Through effective collaboration, they have navigated the intricacies of legacy systems and embarked on a journey that will unlock the true potential of smart metering and IoT interoperability.”

Angus Flett, DCC’s CEO, commented:

“Innovation is crucial in IoT and we’re thankful to IoT Breakthrough for recognising our work with Vodafone as a critical partner in the complex task of migrating meters onto our nationwide network, and in delivering a 4G solution which will provide services for many years to come. Our partnership with Vodafone is focused on securing strategic alignment, fostering value creation, and driving innovation. Vodafone stands as a beacon of excellence and exemplifies this new way of working, empowering us to turn insights into meaningful decisions for a smarter, greener future and to drive social good.”

Tom Stockwell, Head of Critical Infrastructure Business at Vodafone added:

“It is wonderful that our work with DCC has been recognised by IoT Breakthrough and is testament to the dedication of both parties to deliver 4G IoT connectivity in a complex environment with minimal impact. This project is an important part of continuing the DCC’s mission to connect Britain so we can all lead smarter, greener lives.”

This award caps an exciting couple of months for DCC, who in November won edie.net’s Net Zero Innovation of the Year award for its uZero software, which helps to tackle fuel poverty through anonymised smart meter data and ground-breaking AI.