Nordic countries to have 5-8 mln electric meters connected to GPRS by 2010

At least 5 mln electricity meters will be connected to GPRS networks in the Nordic region by 2010, according to Berg Insight. Regulatory requirements and increasing competition in the energy industry is creating a mass market for automated meter reading solutions in Sweden, Denmark and Finland, worth several bln euros. Leading energy companies in the region are teaming up with IT and telecom companies to ensure that electricity customers get accurate energy bills based on actual power consumption. The number of remotely read electricity meters in the Nordic region will grow from less than 1 mln in 2005 to over 8 mln in 2010. The current forecasts indicate a market share of 60% for GPRS in the Nordic market in the coming years. Power line communication and unlicensed radio frequencies are the main competing technologies.