Vodafone Business helps save water with IoT technology

2minute read

Overview

  • It’s estimated that 25% of drinking water is lost due to leaking pipes 

  • Gutermann, a Swiss leak detection specialist company, could not get to underground leaks with conventional acoustic loggers 

  • Vodafone’s NarrowBand-IoT (NB-IoT) technology helps them to combat the global issue of water scarcity 

Meet Gutermann 

Gutermann are a global leader in tackling water loss and detecting leaks. Their headquarters are based in Switzerland, but they have offices all over the world, including in the UK. 

Their mission is to help cities and utilities detect water leaks early, before they cause significant damage. 

The challenge 

According to a study from industry body EurEau, 25% of drinking water is lost due to leaking pipes.*

Gutermann use connected battery powered acoustic loggers to tackle the problem. They monitor underground pipes to quickly identify leaks and repair them. 

Conventional 3G/4G networks though used too much battery power and could not penetrate underground infrastructure. 

Guttermann needed a smarter solution and turned to us to deliver it. 

The solution 

Gutermann launched the world’s first NB-IOT based leak detection system in 2019.  

Partnering with Vodafone IoT, they adopted low-power connectivity consuming between five and ten times less power than 3G/4G, as well as ensuring signal penetration underground. 

Vodafone’s industrial grade SIMs also helped extend the operational life of Gutermann devices in the field, and our extensive IoT experience in the utilities sector also helped the company deploy smarter, scalable monitoring systems. 

“With Vodafone NB-IoT, our sensors reach where others can’t – deep underground, with minimal power usage. This is essential for enabling daily network monitoring.”

Uri Gutermann

Chief Executive Officer,

Gutermann

The benefits 

Having pioneered the world’s first NB-IoT detection system, Gutermann is now driving smart infrastructure upgrades in the UK and around the world, thanks to NB-IoT SIMs.  Their devices stay in the ground longer and deliver accurate leak alerts, even in hard to reach areas. This means:  

  • Less water loss 

  • Lower risks of flooding and property damage 

  • Extended device lifespans and cost savings 

  • More proactive infrastructure management 

 Gutermann’s innovative technology, alongside our IoT connectivity, is transforming lives for the better.  As the world faces more water scarcity and infrastructure challenges, our partnership shows how smart technology can drive efficient real-world improvements at scale. 

Learn more about our work with Gutermann

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