This is exciting…Echelon and T-Mobile just announced that they have formed a partnership that will allow Echelon to use T-Mobile’s GSM wireless network to connect its smart meters with utility companies. Under the agreement, T-Mobile will provide special, heavy-duty silicon SIM cards that will be embedded into Echelon’s smart meters. The SIM cards can then be used to wirelessly communicate data on electricity uses and outages by sending it to the utility company via T-Mobile’s cellular network.

According to John Horn, the national director of T-Mobiles M2M Division, "There are 300 million electric meters. You’ve got gas and water on top of that. It’s a very, very large opportunity … billions of dollars."