Vi Business announces plans to support deployment of 12 million smart meters across India

Vi Business, the enterprise division of Vodafone Idea Limited, has announced plans to enable the deployment of 12 million smart meters across India over the next three years. This initiative is aimed at contributing to the country’s evolving energy infrastructure and supporting the national transition towards smarter, more efficient utility systems.

Aligned with the objectives of the India Smart Grid Mission, the project is expected to advance the development of Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions. The deployment of smart and prepaid electricity meters will support Distribution Companies (DISCOMs) in reducing Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses, while enabling consumers to monitor their energy usage in real time.

A core element of this initiative is the Vi Business IoT Smart Central platform, which facilitates centralised monitoring and management of millions of connected smart meters. With over five years of experience in AMI deployment in India, Vi Business has developed solutions designed to be scalable, secure, and resilient to meet the dynamic needs of the energy sector.

To support seamless rollouts, Vi Business has implemented structured processes for both pre- and post-onboarding phases of smart meter integration. These processes aim to ensure smooth implementation and the capacity for rapid expansion across various regions. Security is addressed through the use of telecom-grade protocols, which safeguard both utility and consumer data.

Additionally, Vi Business operates a dedicated IoT Lab, which is used for extensive pre-deployment testing and certification. This facility plays a key role in accelerating the rollout of AMI systems by ensuring that new technologies meet performance and reliability standards prior to implementation.

Commenting on the development, Arvind Nevatia, Chief Enterprise Business Officer at Vi, stated,“We were among the first to deploy smart meters in 2018 and to establish an IoT Lab for testing innovations in this space. Our current efforts to support the deployment of 12 million smart meters are focused on reducing energy losses, improving system efficiency, and enabling a more informed experience for consumers across India.”