UTC and Verizon will officially announce tomorrow a joint study of the communications needs of utilities. This timely and innovative analysis will identify the unique communications requirements of the utility industry to ensure safe, reliable and cost-effective energy grids for the 21st Century.

The study, which will kick off next week in Washington with a focus group of UTC member company representatives, is designed to encompass a wide range of factors that should be considered when designing and delivering the critical communications that will fuel the nation's smart grids. UTC members should find the study to be useful in not only articulating their own detailed communications requirements for internal purposes but also in communicating these requirements to technology partners.

In a press release announcing the study, UTC CEO Bill Moroney states that "With all the communications challenges facing utilities today with smart grid and emergency-response requirements, utilities will need partners. To be successful, utilities and their technology partners will need to have a common understanding of the technological, operational and financial factors that are the foundations for all the communications needs of utilities."

The research will culminate in a report that will be made available to UTC's utility members in September. The report will be available for sale to associate members and non-members in October.

For more information, contact UTC's Research Department at research@utc.org.