Propagation Models for the UK’s Smart Meter Programme
Creators: name: Owens, David Thomas Wake
Publisher: name: University of Surrey
Year: 2023
Subjects: Smart Meters
Propagation Models
Smart Meter Implementation

description: There are 28 million homes in the UK, with a requirement for 53 million Smart: gas and
description: electricity meters. Out of these, 20 million homes will rely on Telefonica’s mobile network
description: to connect them to energy supply companies, raising concerns over their connectivity.
description: These ‘connected’ gas and electric meters are more commonly and collectively known
description: as ‘smart meters’ and are typically connected to a Wide Area Network via a
description: Communication Hub. It is vitally important that wide scale ubiquitous connectivity is
description: provided to deliver service to 99% of the UK population, while avoiding any non-essential
description: investment.<br>
description: <br>
description: The radio prediction models used by Mobile Network Operators typically use a statistical
description: approach, and therefore to increase model accuracy at a particular point location you
description: simply increase the prediction error margin of the link budget. However, this reduces the
description: coverage area by the inverse square of the range reduction, meaning that improving the
description: accuracy of the model will result in a significant reduction in the predicted coverage
description: footprint, resulting in large numbers of additional base stations being required. Making it
description: difficult to meet contractual obligations in a financially viable way, and significantly
description: delaying rollout.<br>
description: <br>
description: Based on the signal strength measurements conducted at the Building Research
description: Establishment determining building penetration losses in both 900 and 2,100 MHz band,
description: this thesis presents building penetration loss models using these measurements that are
description: practical and cost effective when compared to traditional statistical propagation loss
description: models. Building on this model, the thesis then provides an alternative method of
description: calculating reliable mobile network coverage for wide area networks serving smart meters,
description: without requiring a significant prediction ‘error margin’.<br>
description: <br>
description: The aim of the research documented in this thesis is to develop a prediction system that
description: accurately predicts in-building mobile coverage, whilst ensuring that the predicted range of
description: the cell was not reduced. The provided framework then provides a highly accurate
description: estimation of coverage, enabling a binary decision to install a Smart Meter or not. This
description: thesis also provides alternative solutions for hard-to-reach locations such as enhancing the
description: coverage range of antennas with a mesh radio network technology. Extensive
description: measurements are made in Newbury in both suburban and open environments for
description: validation and delivery of a simple statistical model for the 868 MHz band in United
description: Kingdom conurbations.<br>
description: <br>
description: Results presented in this thesis will analyse the effectiveness of a Mesh radio network's
description: ability to provide an effective coverage extension method at 868 MHz. As it is expected
description: that Mesh radio will contribute to a significant increase in the number of connected smart
description: meters. Finally, a propagation model derived from the measurement campaign data will
description: then provide a method to estimate the likely coverage extension range of a mesh radio
description: gateway.<br>