Smart meters utilize a wide range of connectivity options from the meter back to the utility or connecting to the home area network (HAN). Microchip provides 3 families of radios to meet the needs of mainstream electric meters. The 802.15.4 and sub-GHz are available as standalone chips for cost and form factor optimization while all 3 families are available as agency certified modules for quicker and simpler design cycles. Industry standard software for ZigBee® Smart Energy Profile (SEP), WiFi®, and TCP/IP is available in source code form. Microchip’s MiWi™ protocol is a light weight mesh or peer to peer solution for sub-GHz and 802.15.4 networks.
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