Secure, Scalable, Sustainable Networks

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THE CHALLENGE

Overcoming Legacy Infrastructure and Navigating Modern Demands

Aging Infrastructure:

Many utility companies still operate on legacy systems such as TDM and SDH, which are no longer sufficient to meet modern operational requirements. Aging infrastructure creates inefficiencies and increases the risk of downtime. According to a report by McKinsey, the utilities sector could lose $25 billion annually if modernization efforts are delayed. The transition to IP/Ethernet-based networks is critical to improving performance, but 72% of utilities have expressed difficulties in transitioning away from legacy infrastructure.

Cybersecurity Threats:

With increasing digitization and connectivity, the threat of cyberattacks in the utilities sector has grown significantly. Utility companies are a prime target for cybercriminals, as disruptions to critical infrastructure can have widespread impacts. A recent KPMG report emphasize the increasing frequency and sophistication of attacks on critical infrastructure, with many of these attacks targeting operational technology (OT). Without robust cybersecurity measures, including encryption, network segmentation, and continuous monitoring, utility networks remain highly vulnerable.

Increasing Bandwidth Requirements:

The rise of smart grids, IoT devices, and real-time data analytics is putting increasing pressure on utilities’ networks. By 2025, the number of connected devices in the utilities sector is expected to exceed 1 billion, driving bandwidth demands exponentially . Legacy networks are not equipped to handle this surge in data traffic, which requires higher bandwidth and ultra-low latency connections to support real-time decision-making and remote monitoring. Failure to upgrade could hinder operational efficiency and delay the adoption of new technologies.

Regulatory Compliance & NIS2:

With the introduction of NIS2, utility providers face stricter regulatory requirements to ensure network resilience and cybersecurity. More than 60% of utility companies are not yet compliant with the latest NIS2 standards. This creates an urgent need for network modernization to meet both security and operational demands.

Technology Availability and Localized Supply Chain:

Global supply chain disruptions and increasing scrutiny of foreign technology have led many utilities to prioritize local suppliers for their network needs.

Limited Internal Resources and Expertise:

Utility companies often struggle with a lack of internal expertise and resources for network management. With the increasing complexity of modern telecommunications systems, this can hinder effective monitoring, maintenance, and incident response. This shortage of in-house expertise makes utilities reliant on external partners to manage and optimize their networks effectively, placing even greater importance on choosing the right solutions and support.

Strikes Against Communication Infrastructure:

Recent attacks on communication infrastructure, such as the disruption of pager and walkie-talkie systems, have underscored the vulnerabilities that critical infrastructure faces. These strikes have exposed weaknesses in global supply chains and highlighted the need for greater security and control over network components.

THE SOLUTION

How aconnic’s Solutions Address Utility Challenges

Seamless Legacy Migration:

aconnic understands that transitioning away from aging infrastructure is a major hurdle for many utility companies. Our ACCEED series (ACCEED 5101, ACCEED 2102, ACCEED 4420) allows utilities to seamlessly migrate from TDM/SDH systems to modern IP/Ethernet-based networks. With minimal disruption to current operations, our solutions extend the life of existing investments while enabling future-proof upgrades. By facilitating a smooth migration, utilities can avoid the downtime and inefficiencies associated with legacy systems and embrace scalable, high-performance network technologies.

Advanced Network Management for Critical Infrastructure:

aconnic’s end-to-end management platform MetroIntegrator, offering a comprehensive network management solution with real-time monitoring. This helps utility providers manage their entire infrastructure from a single platform, identifying potential threats before they escalate, ensuring maximum uptime, and safeguarding critical services. Our solution is designed to enhance network reliability, offering full ITU-T TMN FCAPS capabilities for device, inventory, performance, and service management

Meeting Growing Bandwidth Demands for shift to smart grids and IoT devices:

aconnic’s high-performance networking solutions offer scalable bandwidth with ultra-low latency, enabling utilities to handle exponentially higher volumes of data in real-time with ease. The ACCEED 4824 and 8648 platforms support rapid data transfer, real-time decision-making, and remote monitoring, which are essential for efficient grid operations and future smart city developments.

Mandatory Regulatory Compliance & NIS2 Readiness:

Utility providers must adopt network infrastructure that meets stringent regulatory standards for resilience and cybersecurity. aconnic offers solutions that are not only secure but also adaptable to evolving regulatory landscapes. Our systems, designed with future compliance in mind, help utilities achieve full NIS2 readiness, ensuring that operations remain compliant and secure.

Localized Supply Chain & Sustainability: 

Utilities are increasingly turning to local suppliers for their infrastructure needs, due to global supply chain disruptions and security concerns. aconnic delivers Made in Germany solutions, ensuring supply chain resilience, enhanced security, and greater sustainability. By choosing aconnic, utilities benefit from short supply chains, reduced carbon emissions, and reliable, locally produced technologies that align with their sustainability goals while maintaining operational efficiency. This shift also helps utilities minimize risks associated with unreliable technologies and provides a stable foundation for future growth.

Full-Service Support & Expertise:

Recognizing the challenge of limited internal resources, aconnic provides full-service support, including 24/7 Network Operations Center (NOC) services, network design, and tailored training programs. Our NOC ensures continuous monitoring and proactive management of your network infrastructure, preventing potential disruptions before they occur. Our consulting and training services equip your team with the knowledge and skills they need to maintain and optimize your network, helping to bridge the gap in internal technical expertise.

Enhanced Supply Chain Control:

aconnic’s in-house production model provides utilities end-to-end control over the entire supply chain, from manufacturing to deployment, ensuring the highest level of security and reliability. This localized, secure supply chain model mitigates the risks associated with global disruptions and strengthens utilities’ resilience to external threats.

SEAMLESS MIGRATION

Migration from legacy systems to modern IP-based networks

SUSTAINABILITY

Low carbon footprint and sustainable supply chain, contributing to your environmental goals.

FLEXIBLE INFRASTRUCTURE

Flexible network architecture that grows with your needs — whether you need to maintain legacy services or adopt the latest fiber solutions.

Many utility providers operate power grids with aging TDM and SDH infrastructure that struggles to keep up with increasing data demands. As utilities expand into digital operations like smart metering and demand-response systems, the need to transition to IP-based networks becomes critical.

The ACCEED 5101 and ACCEED 2102 are designed to facilitate seamless migration from legacy systems to modern IP/Ethernet-based networks. These devices support both legacy TDM and modern Ethernet, allowing utilities to phase in new technologies while maintaining operational continuity. By integrating these solutions, utility companies can ensure efficient, low-latency communication between remote stations and control centers, improving grid responsiveness and reliability.

Water utilities require precise, real-time monitoring and control over their extensive infrastructure, which includes water purification plants, pumping stations, and distribution networks. Effective management of this critical infrastructure is essential to ensure an uninterrupted water supply, quick detection of potential issues, and optimized resource usage.

The MetroIntegrator platform provides comprehensive network management capabilities tailored to the unique demands of water utilities. With real-time monitoring, utilities gain full visibility into their operational technology (OT) networks, allowing for early detection of performance issues and ensuring smooth operations across distributed assets. By leveraging Zero-Touch Provisioning (ZTP), the deployment and scaling of network devices across multiple locations is streamlined, reducing manual intervention and minimizing the time needed for rollouts. This is especially beneficial when expanding or upgrading network infrastructure.

Paired with the ACCEED 2104, which supports CES interworking and operates reliably across a wide range of temperatures, utilities can efficiently manage and monitor their infrastructure. This ensures reliable service delivery, improved network performance, and reduced operational complexity—critical factors for managing water distribution networks in an increasingly complex environment.

Use Case: Smart grids require real-time data collection from IoT devices and sensors to optimize energy distribution and consumption patterns. The need for rapid, high-bandwidth, and low-latency connections has become essential to handle the increasing data traffic from these systems.

The ACCEED 4824 and ACCEED 4630 platforms provide scalable bandwidth solutions with ultra-low latency, enabling smart grids to handle real-time data traffic efficiently. These platforms support future integration with 5G/6G networks and allow for rapid decision-making in areas such as load balancing, outage management, and predictive analytics.

Gas utilities depend on reliable communication networks to monitor pipeline integrity, detect leaks, and coordinate emergency responses. Uninterrupted communication is critical to prevent or mitigate hazardous situations.

ACCEED 2104 and ACCEED 4420 provide the reliability and performance required for gas utilities to maintain constant communication during emergencies. With carrier-grade redundancy and sub-50ms failover, these platforms ensure that communication lines remain operational, even during network failures, enabling real-time monitoring and quick decision-making in critical situations.

As cities evolve into smart cities, electric utilities must integrate with a range of digital services, such as EV charging stations and smart street lighting. This requires flexible, scalable network solutions that can handle diverse data types and service demands. aconnic

The ACCEED 4420 and ACCEED 4824 provide flexible Layer 2 network termination and aggregation, supporting multiple service types across a single network. These platforms are perfect for integrating new services such as EV infrastructure and public lighting control without disrupting the existing network. The ability to manage real-time data transmission and scalability ensures these platforms can support future smart city initiatives.

Renewable energy providers, such as wind and solar farms, need high-performance networks to monitor energy production and integrate into the grid in real time. At the same time, sustainability and energy efficiency are priorities.

The ACCEED 8648 provides high throughput while consuming minimal power, making it an ideal fit for renewable energy providers focused on sustainability. With its ability to manage large amounts of data and support real-time grid integration, this platform helps renewable energy operators achieve their sustainability goals without sacrificing performance.

Utility companies face vulnerabilities in their communication infrastructure due to global supply chain disruptions, highlighting the need for greater control over network components and their security.

aconnic’s in-house production and logistics model offers end-to-end control over the supply chain, ensuring high levels of security and reliability for utility networks. This localized supply chain minimizes risks from global disruptions and enhances the security of critical infrastructure components, ensuring continuous operation and compliance with industry standards.

5G & 6G Network Research Funded by Leading Institutions

Our pioneering research projects in quantum-secure 5G and 6G communications are revolutionizing how utilities approach network security and performance. These projects are proudly funded by the Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik (BSI) and the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF), ensuring that our innovations are built to the highest national and international standards of cybersecurity and technological excellence.

Through these initiatives, we’re developing advanced synchronization techniques for time-sensitive communication, alongside resilient architectures specifically designed for critical applications like energy grids and autonomous vehicles. One of our flagship projects, Quantum Synchronization for Secure 5G/6G Networks, is pushing the envelope on precision and security, utilizing quantum technologies to set new benchmarks in network reliability.

Collaborating to Drive Real-World Impact

Our commitment to innovation goes beyond the lab—we believe in driving tangible results for the utilities sector. Collaborating with industry leaders and government bodies, we aim to roll out secure, scalable, and sustainable telecom solutions that safeguard critical infrastructure. Initiatives like our ADWISOR5G project, which focuses on real-time threat detection in 5G networks, reflect our dedication to protecting utility networks from evolving cyber threats while enabling seamless communication for smart grid and IoT applications.

Sponsored by

Driving Sustainability in Utility Networks:
Green Energy Solutions for a Carbon-Zero Future