Tollgrade's LightHouse® 4.0 Platform First to Offer Auto-Phase ID for Best-In-Class Smart Grid Sensor Accuracy and Fault Detection


New GSM support further expands Tollgrade's reach into Latin America and Europe 



San Antonio, Tx. — Tollgrade Communications, Inc., a global leader in providing network assurance solutions to the world's largest utilities and telecommunications providers, today announced the availability of its award-winning LightHouse 4.0 Distribution Monitoring platform, with support for GSM cellular networks. Additional platform enhancements include Auto-Phase ID, GPS-based time synchronization of sensors and Substation Monitoring. These features allow utilities to have more accurate and actionable information from their distribution networks and enable better fault detection, power restoration and Predictive Grid® Analytics. The release of a GSM cellular sensor allows Tollgrade to expand their market reach further into the European and Latin American marketswhere deployments are currently underway. Tollgrade will demonstrate these new features at the DistribuTECH Conference in San Antonio January 28 – 30, 2014 in booth #3461.



"The LightHouse 4.0 platform was a result of working closely with our utility customers on three continents and responding to their most pressing needs," said Erik Christian, Vice President Smart Grid, Tollgrade Communications. "By allowing utilities to take advantage of GSM communications directly from the sensor for their smart grid sensor deployment, they are able to reduce deployment costs while taking advantage of the built-in carrier grade security available in these networks. Second, by offering Auto-phase ID and GPS-based time synchronization of sensors, utilities can have the accurate data they need to speed restoration and avoid responding to false alarms – especially valuable information in storm restoration."



Auto-Phase ID and GPS Time Synchronization Improves Accuracy

The operation and maintenance of distribution networks is becoming more complex, thus accurate, real-time data is more critical than ever. New automation systems like Distribution Management Systems (DMS) and Outage Management Systems (OMS) rely on the accurate representation of loads and individual connections for a range of applications, including fault location and automated switching to speed service restoration. Without accurate records, including proper phase identification, crews are unable to quickly restore power to individual customers, businesses and neighborhoods.



To offer more accurate phase, load and location data that speeds restoration and ensures crew safety, Tollgrade offers two new features: Auto-Phase ID and GPS Time Synching of sensors, available in LightHouse 4.0. With these enhancements, utilities can have accurate phase identification throughout their distribution feeders and single-phase laterals. Auto-Phase ID enables utilities to identify and resolve inaccuracies in their GIS and CIS databases before they dispatch crews allowing for faster restoration and fewer false alarms. Second, LightHouse sensors utilize integrated GPS receivers for an accurate and synchronized universal time reference, and perform interval data logging at coordinated time periods.  This added functionality is the foundation of a rich and growing suite of analytics and reports based on time synchronized sensors allowing LightHouse to provide a single, trusted and accurate stream of data into a utility's DMS systems.



New Substation Transformer Reports and Alarms

The cost of replacing substation transformers after they fail unexpectedly is dramatically more expensive than repairing the asset. To avoid this preventable situation, the LightHouse 4.0 platform includes configurable overload reports and alarms that can be customized to the transformer's nameplate rating. These alarms can also be prioritized by severity and events are captured in a dashboard for future analysis. Additionally, the solution reports when phases are out of balance, accelerating the aging process. More details about Tollgrade's Substation Monitoring Solution can be found in a separate announcement released today. 



Demonstrations at DistribuTECH 2014

Tollgrade will preview the LightHouse 4.0 platform in their booth #3461. The company will also showcase their Fault Detection and Substation Monitoring applications.



Pricing and Availability

LightHouse 4.0 software will be available for purchase or as an upgrade for current customers on March 31, 2014. For more information or to schedule a demo, please contactGetLighthouse@tollgrade.com.  



About Tollgrade

With more than 200 million lines under test, millions of utility outage minutes avoided annually and 25 years of experience successfully locating faults at the world's largest electric utility companies and telecommunication service providers, Tollgrade is redefining the global standard for reliability. Our award-winning fault detection hardware and predictive analytics software is deployed on four continents to help operators avoid network outages and reduce customer downtime. Tollgrade has been recognized as one of the Top 13 Smart Grid Companies to Watch in 2013 by SmartGrid News, received the Fierce Energy award for "Substation Automation and Distribution Automation" and a Best Practice Award from Frost + Sullivan. In 2013, the company was named the Smart Grid Sensor market share leader by IHS Research, and a Platt's Global Energy Awards finalist. Learn more by visiting www.tollgrade.com.



For more information, contact:

Cathy Clarke

CNC Associates

+1 617-527-2089 (mobile)

cathy@cncassocs.com






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