Nighthawk DirectConnect is direct connection to your AMI system or NightHawk zero-infrastructure AMI. It is a “plug and play” under-glass cellular modem for the kV2c meter and seamlessly integrates with interfaces such as MV-90, Aclara MeterMate, Trilliant PrimeRead, and Trilliant UnitySuite. DirectConnect provides a robust, secure, and efficient bidirectional message delivery mechanism running over LTE.

DirectConnect looks like any other IP-addressable meter/device via any communications infrastructure and provides a drop-in solution for AMI gap filling or as a replacement for older 2G and 3G cell devices that are no longer supported by most wireless carriers in most areas. This solution can also replace older hard-wired analog POTS lines that phone companies no longer typically support because of VOIP lines.

DirectConnect can be easily set up in an existing AMI system with just some simple setup parameters in the system’s software (the MV-90xi system would require the optional TCP/IP module for the MV-90xi to be a part of the MV-90xi system to read meters via a TCP-IP connection). It is currently available in the Aclara kV2c meters and can be provisioned on either the Verizon or AT&T Networks with future meter platforms on the development roadmap.