Verizon and Honeywell are joining forces to provide utilities with smart electric grid solutions.

The companies will integrate Verizon’s Managed Connectivity LTE solutions and Honeywell’s next-generation smart meters and other electric, gas, and water solutions. Managed Connectivity will be offered as a service on Verizon’s LTE network. Combined with Honeywell Smart Energy software, hardware and services, the offering is designed to provide utility companies with a highly scalable, fully managed, open computing and communications platform.

The Verizon Honeywell platform will include:

• Strong device identity and security,
• Dynamic network authorization and access,
• Device and application discovery,
• Remote device monitoring and management,
• Modem firmware and application upgrades,
• Real-time device diagnostics, and
• Simplified supply-chain and data access.

The open secure edge computing and networking platform is designed to enable Honeywell to incorporate sophisticated technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning into its meters. The two companies are exploring how 5G can transform the utility industry through higher bandwidth, faster speeds and low latency.

“Working with Honeywell on these next-generation solutions will enable the reliability and scalability of the communications needed to deliver smart metering, manage distributed energy resources, conserve water, and make the digital world work better for utilities and consumers,” said Jay Olearain, director, Enterprise Products and IoT at Verizon, in a prepared statement. “Our Connected Utilities solutions bring connectivity and computing capabilities to all kinds of IoT devices, helping companies like Honeywell grow their leadership positions in the utilities space and expand their business models into new market opportunities.”