In $72 million deal, Zain, with partner Ericsson, will install and operate the IoT smart systems for a seven-year period
Middle East telecommunications operator Zain has signed an agreement with the government of Kuwait for the development of IoT-based interconnectivity support of the country’s smart meters systems.
Under the terms of the seven-year deal, Zain will manage the smart electricity system and water reading meters deployed in the country. The operator will have two years to install all the electricity and water meter systems and then will operate the IoT platform during a five-year period. The initial deployment will include 880,000 smart meters with the possibility of a future expansion to 1.2 million smart meters, Zain said.
The first batch of smart meters will be focused on verticals such as industry and agriculture, and will be expanded to the residential segment in a second phase.
Zain plans to install and operate the smart meters project in collaboration with a number of partners including Swedish network infrastructure vendor Ericsson and E&Y. The total cost of the smart meters project is estimated to exceed $72 million.
“This project forms part of Zain’s strategic plans to expand smart cities solutions in Kuwait as we look to transform into an inclusive digital telecommunications provider. One such plan was Zain’s strategic investment in neXgen, a leading smart city advisory and consulting services provider,” Eaman Al Roudhan, Zain Kuwait’s CEO said.
Zain will also introduce a secure e-payment system through the Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW)’s official website and through a mobile app where consumers can monitor their smart meter’s readings in real-time and receive bill reminder notifications.
Zain also plans to introduce utility payment systems where residents will be able to pay electricity and water bills through prepaid or postpaid plans.
