Bridging urban-rural energy divide with loT connectivity

The Internet of Things (IoT), connected by decentralised RF mesh networks, is proving transformative for India's smart meter rollout.

- Neil Bosworth Director of Product Marketing, Smart Energy Wirepas

Energy access and reliability remain two of the most pressing challenges in emerging economies. While cities struggle with dense populations and surging energy demand, rural and remote communities often face unreliable supply and limited data connectivity, which are essential for smart metering. Both scenarios highlight the same problem: how to ensure efficient, scalable, and affordable energy management. This is where the Internet of Things (IoT), connected by decentralised RF mesh networks, is proving transformative for India’s smart meter rollout.

Connectivity challenges

Few places better illustrate the challenges of connectivity than Dharavi in Mumbai. With nearly one million people crammed into just 2.1 square kilometres, it is one of the world’s most densely populated urban neighbourhoods. Thousands of households and small businesses coexist in an area where the population density can reach 450,000 people per square kilometre, the equivalent of 7,500 people living on a cricket pitch.