RF + GSM Collector Terminal

What it does

The RF + GSM collector terminal picks up the readings broadcast by wireless meters in a building over radio frequency (RF) and forwards them to the EnerjiPay platform over the mobile network (GSM). Nobody has to enter a flat, and no one has to walk from building to building: readings are gathered on site and received remotely.

At Nortek Aypa Otomasyon we design and manufacture the terminal ourselves and use it for remote meter reading. It reads meters that communicate over the same protocol (EN 13757-4), regardless of brand. The approach is especially useful in centrally heated buildings, where wireless meters such as heat meters, heat allocators and hot water meters form the basis for sharing heating expenses. The most familiar problem of door-to-door reading, finding nobody at home, simply disappears.

How it works

In general terms the flow has three steps:

1. Wireless meters broadcast their values as short radio messages, known as telegrams.
2. A terminal installed in the building receives these broadcasts with its RF receiver.
3. Using a SIM card, the terminal connects to the mobile network and sends the collected readings to EnerjiPay, where they are processed.

The device only collects and carries the data. Storing readings, calculating the difference from the previous period, separating fixed and consumption-based shares and producing an expense sharing statement for each unit is the job of the software. For meters that encrypt their broadcasts, the meter's AES key is needed to decode a telegram; keys are defined on the software side together with the meter list.

Technology

The RF side of the terminal works to the wireless M-Bus standard (wM-Bus, EN 13757-4) and listens on the 868 MHz band. In wired M-Bus the meters are linked by a two-wire line; in a wireless setup there is no line between them, so a receiver is needed to collect the data. The terminal plays that receiver role.

Connection models

The terminal comes in three connection models:

• GSM model: joins the mobile network with a SIM card and does not need the building's internet connection. A good fit for buildings without network infrastructure or spread across different locations.
• Wi-Fi model: sends data over the building's existing wireless network. Because it depends on that network, it needs reconfiguring when the router is replaced or the password changes.
• USB model: transfers the collected data to a computer over a USB connection.

For the GSM model, the point to watch during installation is mobile signal. Boiler rooms are often in basements, where reception can be weak. The terminal's position is therefore chosen after measuring the signal on site before installation, and an external antenna is planned if needed.

We also apply our experience in decoding wireless telegrams to EnerjiPay-RF, a reading application we develop as a separate project.

Where it is used

The RF + GSM collector terminal is a strong option for:

• Existing buildings without a wired M-Bus line, where running new cable would mean renovation work
• Metering and expense sharing companies that read many buildings from one central point
• Sites with no internet infrastructure, or where depending on the building network is not desirable
• Projects that want readings gathered in the building and collected remotely instead of periodic site rounds

The difference between reading methods in brief:

Method	Meter type	How reading is done
RF handheld terminal	Wireless (wM-Bus)	A field worker collects readings walking through the building
GSM M-Bus master	Wired M-Bus	The line is read remotely
RF + GSM collector terminal	Wireless (wM-Bus)	Gathered in the building, received remotely

For heating and hot water expense sharing we hold authorisation certificate no. 205 from the Turkish Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change, valid in all provinces. We also supply software and device infrastructure to many meter reading companies across Türkiye.

Product site

You can browse our devices at m-bus.com.tr, and use our EnerjiPay platform (https://enerjipay.com) for instant remote meter reading. On EnerjiPay, residents can see their daily consumption and their bills. To discuss your project, call us on 0505 059 88 58.