News


Ethekwini contractor for Beyond Wireless

April 2010 News

Local wireless machine to machine (M2M) communication solutions provider, Beyond Wireless, is in the final stages of rolling out a GPRS-based communications platform and condition monitoring system for the Ethekwini Municipality’s entire medium voltage electricity distribution network.

With phase 1 of the rollout already extending to more than 750 medium voltage sub-stations, the contract is one of the largest municipal contracts of its kind to date in South Africa.

“Electricity is the life blood of any city and this solution quite literally allows Durban’s electrical engineers to have their finger on the city’s pulse by giving them realtime visibility of the deepest parts of the distribution network,” explains Beyond Wireless CEO, Ian Lester. “By using the cellular networks as the core Internet Protocol communication platform, the system is rapidly scalable and most importantly it is affordable, as it requires no investment into complex and expensive proprietary communication infrastructure. This means that the system is not only able to serve the monitoring and control needs of large and sophisticated cities like Durban, but it is well within the reach of smaller municipalities as well.”

The system is also currently being trialled by City Power in Johannesburg where the technology has been deployed at both the medium and low voltage levels of Johannesburg’s distribution network, to meter consumption, monitor demand patterns, detect intrusion, monitor transformer oil temperatures and detect power outages.

Lester says: “In the tough current economic climate where capital is scarce and service delivery is top of the agenda, Beyond Wireless can offer real solutions to both challenges.”

For more information contact Ian Lester, Beyond Wireless, +27 (0)11 243 2960, [email protected], www.beyondwireless.co.za





Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

Reinstatement opportunity for ECSA registration
News
In 2023 the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) announced a special opportunity for engineers in South Africa to reinstate their registration status if it had been cancelled. This exclusive offer is available until the end of August 2024.

Read more...
Helm wins for AI and automation at Business Excellence Awards
News
Helm, the South African leader in AI-powered customer experience solutions, has been recognised at the Business Excellence Awards 2025, receiving two prestigious awards.

Read more...
Schneider Electric launches first Innovation Hub in Africa
Schneider Electric South Africa News
Schneider Electric has officially launched its first Innovation Hub in Africa. This provides an interactive environment where visitors can explore the company’s integrated solutions across key segments and businesses such as energy, buildings, data centres, industrial, and power and grid.

Read more...
A strategic milestone for Conical Technologies
Conical Technologies News
Conical Technologies has been appointed as the sole distributor in southern Africa for Mibbo, manufacturers of a vast array of products for the automation industry.

Read more...
Robotics TechTalk at UKZN
News
The Scientific Multidisciplinary Advanced Research Technology Lab at the University of KwaZulu-Natal recently held an exciting TechTalk. It was an opportunity to introduce students to the IEEE Robotics and Automation chapter, SAIMC, and the Robotics Association of South Africa.

Read more...
Top laboratory industry trends in the spotlight at analytica Lab Africa 2025
News
The future of laboratories and transformative diagnostic technologies will come under the spotlight in July at analytica Lab Africa, South Africa’s only trade fair for laboratory technology, analysis, biotechnology and diagnostics.

Read more...
Schneider Electric honoured with Gender Leader Award
Schneider Electric South Africa News
Schneider Electric has been awarded the Gender Leader Award at this year’s Africa CEO Forum. This award acknowledges those organisations operating in Africa that have shown a significant and continuous commitment to gender diversity and inclusion.

Read more...
Africa Automation Technology Fair 2025 closes on a high note
News
The Africa Automation Technology Fair 2025 officially wrapped up after three dynamic days at Gallagher Convention Centre, cementing its status as Africa’s leading platform for industrial automation, AI and IoT.

Read more...
A new generation of solar professionals
News
A new generation of solar professionals is rising in Cape Town. The second cohort of the Solar Youth Project has just completed an intensive eight-week training course and is ready to take on the next stage, 10 months of work experience.

Read more...
From the editor's desk: The age of superintelligence
Technews Publishing (SA Instrumentation & Control) News
      In this issue of SA Instrumentation & Control we say farewell to our longstanding contributing editor, Michael Brown, who is retiring soon. His outstanding contribution over the years in the field of ...

Read more...