Swedish IoT provider Netmore has validated a LoRaWan relay feature across a complete smart water metering stack in collaboration with US utility Itron.

The integration confirms end-to-end interoperability between Itron’s Cyble 5 RF module, Netmore subsidiary Abeeway’s LoRaWan relay and Netmore’s LoRaWan.

They have established a fully tested, production-ready relay to address coverage problems in large-scale advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) deployments.

For water utilities, achieving near-100% read rates is often both a regulatory and commercial requirement. When planning for a public network roll-out, coverage for the last 10% of devices easily adds 30% or more to the overall network capex with the classic network densification approach. The LoRaWan relay, standardised under the LoRa Alliance TS011 specification, provides a cost-effective approach to this, with battery-powered relay devices bridging the signal gap between hard-to-reach meters and the existing LoRaWan, eliminating the need for additional gateway infrastructure.

The Itron Cyble 5 communication module is designed to transform Itron’s range of mechanical water meters into smart, connected assets without disrupting operations. Combining a 15-year design life, simultaneous automated meter reading (AMR), AMI connectivity and LoRaWan compatibility, it can help utilities operate their network more efficiently, detect leaks faster and accelerate digital transformation.

Abeeway’s LoRaWAan battery-powered relay can manage up to 15 devices in isolated locations. It extends network reach without modification to the end devices it serves.

Netmore LoRaWan native relay management built into its ThingPark platform enables remote relay configuration via standard mac commands.

With large-scale AMI programmes accelerating globally, the ability to achieve complete meter coverage without disproportionate network infrastructure investment is increasingly critical. This validation demonstrates that a fully standards-compliant relay, deployable within an existing LoRaWan and managed remotely through the Netmore platform, is now a proven option for utilities.

“Near-100% read rates across a utility’s entire meter population, including the hardest-to-reach devices, is the standard our customers require,” said Vadim Lyu from Netmore (www.netmoregroup.com). “This validation proves that the LoRaWan relay delivers on that requirement within the open standard and on the Netmore platform.”

Justin Patrick, senior vice president at Itron (www.itron.com), added: “The ability to pair the Itron Cyble 5 with a LoRaWan relay and maintain full connectivity is a meaningful step forward for utilities seeking complete AMI coverage. Open standards make this kind of interoperability possible, and this validation puts it into practice.”

And Andreas Eriksson, executive director of Abeeway (www.abeeway.com), said: “The Abeeway relay was built to eliminate coverage dead spots cost-effectively, without the infrastructure overhead of network densification. Validated interoperability with Itron’s Cyble 5 and Netmore gives utilities a complete, tested relay from a single open-standard ecosystem.”

The LoRaWan relay is supported by Netmore on ThingPark Enterprise and ThingPark Wireless and can be purchased directly from the ThingPark Market (market.thingpark.com/actility-abeeway-relay-poc-pack.html).