1. Project: IEEE P802.15 Working Group for Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs)
Submission Title: [IG-NAN: Nature of the Requirements]
Date Submitted: [12 May, 2008]
Source: [George Flammer] Company [Silver Springs Networks]
Address [] Voice []
Re: []
Abstract: Restate the needs for Utility Networks as expressed by the Utility view as high level technical requirements.
Purpose: Contribution to Neighborhood Area Networks Interest Group (IG-NAN)
Notice: This document has been prepared to assist the IEEE P It is offered as a basis for discussion and is not binding on the contributing individual(s) or organization(s). The material in this document is subject to change in form and content after further study. The contributor(s) reserve(s) the right to add, amend or withdraw material contained herein.
Release: The contributor acknowledges and accepts that this contribution becomes the property of IEEE and may be made publicly available by P

2. Restating the Requirements
12 May, 2008

3. Translating into Engineering-speak
Agenda
What was not said
Low CapEx
System Longevity
Low OpEx
Non-Mobile
Ubiquity

4. Utility Network is now a teenager
We’ve had long enough to know what is an option.
We also had long enough to know what is not an option.
With most teenagers, knowing what is not an option is often the more important.

5. System has to fulfill multiple application

6. What really are we talking about?
Geographically distributed utility process control network
With a very large number of
High value endpoints in
Nominally fixed locations with
Handfuls of kilobytes moving
Within handfuls of seconds.
Not a ‘fat’ pipe, but a ‘diverse’ pipe

7. Low Capital Expenditure
The networks and systems driving these requirements are large – millions of nodes when complete - growing at hundreds of thousands of nodes with general population growth.
Capital expenditures (CapEx) consist of installation, product cost, training, maintenance.
Most equipment designed for low-cost, high-volume production.
Low CapEx does not follow directly from the least expensive option, but rather the best designed system.

8. System Longevity Design life of the equipment is 20+ years.
Typical temp ranges are -40°C - +85°C.
Surge, EMI, and other ‘arc-spark’ requirements from
ANSI, IEC or even UL can be tough.
In-home (HAN) requirements have relaxed temp range,
but similar life expectancies.
Field replacement is very expensive.
Large number of failure modes necessitate robust architecture, equipment, and processes.

9. Low Operational Expenditure
Utility Networks being created are driven largely by the need for very low costs of operation. Current networks delivers the equivalent of an ARPU of less than a dollar… per year.
Unlicensed spectrum and robust equipment contribute to low OpEx.
Longevity also drives low total cost of ownership (TCO) – a single, unscheduled ‘truck roll’ often costs more than the device itself.
Not a consumer application – customers usually cannot replace anything.

10. Non-Mobile (hallelujah!)
Mobility is generally not a requirement.
Devices are installed where easiest, most cost-effective, or sometimes just the only place possible.
There they stay – forever.
PHY issues like Doppler, MAC issues like handoff are non-drivers.

11. Ubiquity
This application is working towards control and monitoring of virtually all utility processes.
This means that all customers and all supporting infrastructure will be brought into the network.
These devices and equipment are emplaced throughout the service territory – usually where it ‘has to be’ instead of where it might be convenient.
None left behind.