Millions of meters. One goal: stable, interoperable communication.
Utility providers today face the challenge of transmitting metering data reliably, securely, and energy-efficiently – across buildings, cities, and regions. The complexity lies in the diversity of devices, evolving wireless standards, and regulatory requirements.
Submetering – the measurement of individual consumption units within multi-party buildings – is also gaining importance due to legal mandates and market dynamics. For device and module manufacturers, this means: complexity, integration efforts – and time pressure.
STACKFORCE supports this transformation with future-proof, interoperable protocol stacks for wireless technologies such as OMS® (Wireless M-Bus), mioty®, and LoRaWAN® – tailored to various smart metering and submetering scenarios.
Challenges in metering
- Long-term system stability: Meters must operate reliably for many years.
- Secure, standardized communication: Strict regulations for data protection, data quality, and interoperability.
- Energy efficiency: Wireless transmission with extremely low power consumption.
- Heterogeneous infrastructures: Utilities use different systems and network types.
- Partial mobile reading: Remote meters or locations without permanent network access.
Our solution: Reliable communication for accurate consumption measurement in smart metering
Regulated metering applications such as electricity, gas, water, and heat require reliable, interoperable, and energy-efficient communication. STACKFORCE provides matching protocol stacks – modular, maintainable, and future-proof.
OMS v5 – The interoperable standard with etsi-based lpwan support
- Advanced version of the Open Metering Standard for modern LPWAN communication
- Technology-agnostic and ETSI-compliant – ideal for long-lasting, low-maintenance metering infrastructure
- Enables both mobile and stationary data collection with high interoperability
- Ideal for grid operators and utilities focused on standardization and investment security
- Up to three wireless protocols defined in OMS® v5 can be implemented in a single stack – ensuring maximum flexibility for diverse application needs
mioty® – For large-scale meter networks with high interference robustness
- ETSI-compliant LPWAN standard using telegram splitting for exceptional reliability
- Ultra energy-efficient – ideal for battery-powered water, gas, and heat meters
- Highly robust against urban interference and dense device deployments
- Perfect for large-scale urban projects with scalable metering points
LoRaWAN® – A flexible alternative with broad network availability
- Well-suited for utilities leveraging existing LoRaWAN® infrastructure or building their own
- Supports periodic consumption reporting with low data payloads
- Mature ecosystem with wide availability of gateways and platforms
- Can be combined in a dual stack with OMS/wM-Bus for hybrid communication scenarios
Fixed network with fallback in smart metering: stay connected even during outages
Ideal network coverage is not always guaranteed. Therefore, smart meters must be able to adapt to varying communication scenarios to meet legal minimum data transmission requirements.
With the STACKFORCE Dual Stack approach – Wireless M-Bus/OMS® + LoRaWAN®, Wireless M-Bus/OMS® + OMS® over LoRaWAN®, or OMS® v5 – devices can operate primarily in a fixed network. If this network is temporarily unavailable or incomplete, data can still be transmitted via walk-by or drive-by using mobile reading devices from service technicians or vehicles.
Benefits of this hybrid approach:
- Maximum communication resilience through fallback options
- No data loss – devices buffer values and transmit when reconnected
- Gradual network rollout possible without requiring full infrastructure upfront
- Flexible for urban, rural, or mixed environments
- Investment security: One device, multiple deployment scenarios
Challenges in submetering environments
- Compact devices with limited power: Miniaturized sensors often powered by coin cells
- High device density in buildings: Many devices in close proximity require scalable solutions
- Limited access to meters: Devices in apartments or technical rooms must be remotely readable
- Low maintenance & long service life: 15+ years battery operation required
- Interoperability & billing compliance: Adherence to OMS® and regulatory requirements is essential
Our solution: Smart communication for buildings and property management
Submetering demands flexible installation, low maintenance, and easy integration. STACKFORCE provides modular protocol stacks optimized for residential and commercial buildings.
Wired/Wireless M-Bus (OMS® 4.x) – Proven standard for building infrastructure
- Widely used in residential buildings for heat cost allocators, cold/hot water meters, and heat meters
- Supports both stationary and mobile reading (walk-by/drive-by)
- Secure, energy-efficient, and retrofittable
- Interoperability through OMS® ensures vendor independence and investment protection
OMS v5 – Future-Ready with LPWAN Communication
- Adds two operating modes: Splitting Mode and Burst Mode
- Supports remote or hard-to-reach meters in large residential complexes
- Interoperable, secure, and optimized for long operation without battery replacement
- Ideal for future-oriented submetering infrastructures with long-term planning
LoRaWAN® – Complementary option for submetering networks
- Well-suited where LoRaWAN® infrastructure exists or third-party service providers are involved
- Flexible network architecture with easy cloud integration
- Enables hybrid IoT/submetering use cases
One solution for both Smart Metering and Submetering
STACKFORCE provides modular, adaptable protocol stacks for both metering sectors.
Your benefits:
- Accelerated product development using pre-certified, maintainable software
- Optimized development and production costs with multi-stack solutions
- Lower integration effort using standard “off-the-shelf” protocol stacks
- Support for certification and compliance
- Future-proof maintenance via long-term support and updates
- Flexible licensing models for pilots, mass deployment, or large-scale installations
Conclusion: Our middleware enables smart energy connectivity
Whether you’re planning nationwide smart meter rollouts or submetering solutions for multi-unit housing – STACKFORCE protocol stacks are your key to reliable, energy-efficient, and interoperable communication.
