In 1997, Itron was one of three founding members of the Device Language Message Specification (DLMS) user association, an organization created with a mission to establish an interoperable application layer protocol for meter data exchange, facilitating improved business efficiency for utility market players and fostering easier operation of energy markets. At a time of entirely proprietary communications protocols in the metering domain, this step was significant. Companies realized that fully competitive energy markets and widespread deployments of interconnected communicating devices could not be sustained without interoperability.

This week, at European Utility Week, Itron was presented with an award to recognize our 20 years of service and membership in the DLMS user association. We are honored to receive this recognition and look forward to our continued collaboration with the organization.

Since its inception, the DLMS user association has grown to more than 300 members worldwide with over 1,200 DLMS/Companion Specification for Energy Metering (COSEM)-certified device types and several million compliant devices in the field.*

Itron has more than 40 certified DLMS/COSEM device types and supports many more from other vendors in its systems and solutions. Starting with very successful commercial and industrial meters, the support for DLMS/COSEM has since grown to domestic meter types, as the need for more complex metrological functionality and greater volumes of data has arisen.

Itron is committed to helping drive the strategic direction of the association and has benefitted from the credibility, significance and reputation the organization and standards have attained.

To learn more about the DLMS user association, visit www.dlms.com.

* The specifications of the DLMS UA are published as International and European Standards, allowing their global proliferation and recognition by utilities, governments and system integrators. Itron has been an instrumental player in introducing DLMS/COSEM to the U.S. market. With the support of other manufacturers and utilities, the DLMS/COSEM suite of standards have recently been published as American National Standards Institute standards, providing a credible pathway to interoperability for Public Utilities Commissions.