Improved utility monitoring with Consibio

Introduction

Located in Aarhus, DK, Consibio is a tech spinoff from Aarhus University, Department of Engineering. Consibio recognizes that almost every industrial process could benefit from more data-driven insights. The combination of new sensor technology, the Internet of Things (IoT), and Big Data can bring these insights to light. Still, it requires deep technical knowledge even to utilize these tools. Onomondo’s IoT platform has helped Consibio scale its business to serve utility companies internationally. Consibio’s bio-sensors, data platform, and development have utilized Onomondo’s suite of connectivity and network insight solutions to achieve this.

50% cost savings

In some use-cases, Consibio’s IoT devices are only turned on and used for shorter measurement campaigns. This can result in devices that are only active approximately 50% of the time over a year.

With Onomondo’s PAYG (Pay-As-You-Go) model, this can be directly translated into 50% savings on SIM card rates compared to vendors with flat-rate models.

Hours saved on troubleshooting

When an IoT device needs service due to unresponsiveness, the ability to locate individual SIMs and analyze network activity via the Traffic Monitor in the Onomondo platform has enabled Consibio to identify issues much faster and often without being on-site.

In several cases, this has resulted in time savings of several hours per service case.

How Consibio’s IoT sensors help utility companies

Consibio has an intelligent plug-and-play sensor platform. They specialize in various bio-industries. One of their most recent market adoptions has been wastewater management, which develops a harmful, odorous, and corrosive gas called H2S (hydrogen sulfide). 

Hydrogen sulfide is produced naturally as a result of the bacterial breakdown of organic matter. Globally, cities are centralizing wastewater treatment plants, occurring in numerous countries worldwide. This means that wastewater is being moved over farther distances, from one well to another thus greatly increasing the production of hydrogen sulfide and its associated challenges. When hydrogen sulfide is released in a receiving well, it corrodes the concrete inside the well. Wastewater treatment infrastructure corrosion means that the lifespan of the concrete making up our wells and wastewater treatment plants decreases from 100 years to 10 years, due solely to hydrogen sulfide.

Consibio provides one reliable hydrogen sulfide sensor and IoT connector with Onomondo connectivity and a data platform that provides insights and optimizations for utility providers. They combine the information of multiple sensors within their platform to paint a picture of what is happening inside the water treatment infrastructure.

Based on what they see in the data, the platform can make recommendations and act autonomously based on available technologies to determine the next steps to mitigate the production of hydrogen sulfide and reduce further damage.

• Pump a chemical through the sewer, which mitigates the toxic gas formation.
• Shoot a cleaning pig, a bullet-shaped cleaning device, through the pipe to remove bacterial biofilm.
• Filter the air released from the sewers with biofilters.

The recommendations to use these technologies are communicated via cloud software, SMS, or email to Consibio’s users. The triggers are automatic; for example, if connected to a chemical dosing pump, the IoT connector automatically turns the pump on to release chemicals to clean the infrastructure.

Consibio’s intelligent and proactive sensor platform saves utility organizations on both time and environmental costs. Onomondo provides key IoT solutions that enable the Consibio platform and team to make the best possible product.

Adaptable pricing and business models.

Onomondo is a pay-as-you-go solution, meaning Consibio can create its own business model. This pricing plan allows Consibio to maintain a storage of unused SIMs without paying for their data monthly, and payments on those SIMs only start after they are installed and active.

The broad MVNO marketplace does not offer this type of flexibility and control. 

• With Onomondo, customers only pay for the months when a SIM uses data. Other operators will offer an, e.g., pan-European price, which is usually more expensive than what they need.
• Onomondo SIMs are always active. No need to manage subscriptions. No workarounds. No prepaid nonsense. Full network flexibility.
• Onomondo believes in total flexibility, even after deployment. That’s why we offer the freedom to leave, meaning we’ll transfer SIMs to a new operator over the air should the need arise.

Strongest network connectivity

Onomondo SIM cards ensure Consibio always has connectivity, even in deep water wells, without requiring additional work. It becomes a plug-and-play solution. Onomondo’s Nano SIMs (4FFs) always connect to the most robust network signal, increasing a device’s battery life and reducing data loss. Onomondo’s deep network integrations have allowed Consibio to market its benefits to customers.

Consibio’s CEO, Søren Kjær, also finds network autonomy vital to their business model. “The fact that you are Network Provider independent gives us complete control.” The flexibility to choose the networks that meet its needs gives Consibio complete control and transparency into its devices.

Intuitive SIM management platform

Consibio uses the Onomondo platform to manage its devices and troubleshoot connectivity issues. Features like Traffic Monitor and Network Logs provide Consibio developers insights into their sensors’ network performance. These insights reduce downtime on devices and increase developers’ speed in troubleshooting issues.

Søren found Onomondo’s readiness to serve a growing IoT industry as the ability to be agile and allow for new, faster innovation. “The fact that you were a Danish company and a startup also meant that you were quite agile with our issues.” Onomondo’s IoT connectivity platform enables Consibio to offer new features and functionalities to their customers. Whenever Onomondo’s platform improves, the offering Consibio can provide their customers improves. 

Søren’s team also manages their SIMs through Onomondo’s platform, allowing easy expansion as Consibio enters new markets. “Onomondo has an intuitive platform for seeing where your SIMs are in the world and controlling data consumption.”

Collaborating for new IoT.

The majority of industries in the world still rely on analog and manual labor, which can not scale as governments and businesses reach to meet new goals. Both societal and environmental goals benefit immensely from new and innovative IoT solutions, like Consibio.

Søren recognizes that partnerships like the one Consibio has with Onomondo are crucial to creating a more intelligent and digitized future. “Onomondo is a pay-as-you-go solution so that we can target our pricing for specific IoT products. This means we can completely tailor our business model with our product, so we require a partner like Onomondo that has these capabilities. And there are not many like Onomondo that do that.”