Internet of Things technology will provide real-time data that can be used to improve water-monitoring
processes for rivers and streams
Connected sensors will collect data every 30 minutes to complement the City's rigorous water-monitoring
program, which performs 80,000 water quality tests annually
TORONTO, Nov. 15, 2016 /CNW/ - Today, Ericsson and Rogers
Communications announced their participation in the City of Ottawa's Innovation Pilot
Program with a "Connected Water" solution that supports an early detection system for water quality testing. The pilot will
leverage a combination of Internet of Things (IoT), cloud and LTE mobile broadband technologies to gather real-time data that City
staff can use to better predict, prevent and respond to potential issues related to water quality, including cleanliness and
abnormal temperatures.
This Connected Water solution is the first of its kind in Canada and will complement the
City of Ottawa's current water monitoring program, which includes approximately 80,000 annual
water quality tests for a network of rivers and streams roughly spanning 4,500 kilometres. The sensors are capable of collecting
data over a widespread area of the City's watershed system, which can help City staff with improving the efficiencies of their
manual testing. In addition to the City, the Rideau Valley, South Nation and Mississippi Valley Conservation Authorities are also
participating in the pilot test.
"Having the ability to conduct real-time monitoring of key water quality indicators has the potential to advance the way we
manage this natural resource" said Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson. "We're
thrilled to participate in this pilot with Ericsson and Rogers, and are hopeful the results will validate how Internet of Things
technology can reinforce our current municipal water testing processes."
The City of Ottawa program will leverage sensors to access data for real-time monitoring and
identification of water quality issues. City employees will use this data to provide feedback to Ericsson and Rogers regarding the
performance of the Connected Water solution and validate the data generated against existing water testing protocols that are
currently in use by the City.
"Hundreds of cities across Canada today rely on manual processes to maintain and deliver utilities. Internet of Things solutions
can help municipalities like the City of Ottawa save time and resources while improving the
accuracy of their processes," said Charlie Wade, SVP, Products and Solutions, Enterprise Business
Unit, Rogers. "Our work with Ericsson and the City is part of our larger focus to help cities and communities across Canada
implement products and solutions that will better connect their resources, infrastructure and people."
"Programs similar to this pilot have proven to be extremely effective in remotely monitoring water quality, but they have
typically been too expensive to be deployed extensively for a big city like Ottawa," said
Graham Osborne, President, Ericsson Canada. "We believe this
Connected Water solution is a big step forward in providing government bodies with a cost-effective and efficient technology to
monitor a natural resource as crucial as our local rivers and streams."
Rogers has been providing connected solutions to Canadian businesses since 2008, and leads the IoT marketplace in Canada1 with more than 1.7 million M2M and IoT connections. Rogers has recently introduced four IoT
'as a Service' solutions over the past year, including Food Safety, Farm & Food Monitoring and Level Monitoring, in addition to
its portfolio of other IoT solutions.
For more information about IoT solutions from Rogers, visit rogers.com/IoT and the
Rogers Business Forum.
About Rogers
Rogers Communications is a leading diversified public Canadian communications and media company. We are Canada's largest
provider of wireless communications services and one of Canada's leading providers of cable television, high-speed Internet and
telephony services to consumers and businesses. Through Rogers Media, we are engaged in radio and television broadcasting,
televised shopping, magazines and trade publications, sports entertainment, and digital media. We are publicly traded on the
Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RCI.A and RCI.B) and on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: RCI). For further information about
the Rogers group of companies, please visit rogers.com.
About Ericsson
Ericsson is the driving force behind the Networked Society - a world leader in communications technology and services. Our
long-term relationships with every major telecom operator in the world allow people, business and society to fulfill their
potential and create a more sustainable future.
Our services, software and infrastructure - especially in mobility, broadband and the cloud - are enabling the telecom industry
and other sectors to do better business, increase efficiency, improve the user experience and capture new opportunities.
With approximately 115,000 professionals and customers in 180 countries, we combine global scale with technology and services
leadership. We support networks that connect more than 2.5 billion subscribers. Forty percent of the world's mobile traffic is
carried over Ericsson networks. And our investments in research and development ensure that our solutions - and our customers -
stay in front. Founded in 1876, Ericsson has its headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden. Net sales in
2015 were SEK 246.9 billion (USD 29.4 billion). Ericsson is listed on
NASDAQ OMX stock exchange in Stockholm and the NASDAQ in New
York.
About the City of Ottawa's Innovation Pilot Program
The City of Ottawa's Innovation Program partners with businesses, entrepreneurs and start-ups
with relevant City departments for the purpose of product or technology testing. It provides a real-life testing environment before
products and services hit the commercial market, while enhancing the delivery of City programs and services to residents.
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1 The Berg Insight 2014
SOURCE Rogers Communications Canada Inc. - English
