LoRaWAN® Shines at ACE 2025: Zenner USA, EchoStar Mobile and Semtech demonstrate first Satellite-Connected LoRaWAN water meter

The ACE 2025 exhibition, held June 8-11 in Denver, united leading experts and cutting-edge technologies in water management, with smart water metering taking center stage. LoRaWAN® continues to gain momentum year after year, expanding its presence in the North American market and enabling utilities to harness Semtech's LoRa® IoT technology for more intelligent and sustainable water infrastructure. 

Over the three-day event, one trend became unmistakably clear: our customers are actively championing Automated Meter Reading (AMR) by replacing legacy RF systems with LoRa, and Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) with LoRaWAN, either alongside or integrated with cellular solutions to address utilities' diverse connectivity requirements. Some customers require high service level agreements with meter reading rates between 95% and 99.5%, combined with 20-year lifecycle commitments and cost-effective infrastructure. However, AMR remains the most popular connectivity choice for meter reading, requiring reliable radio technology for drive-by data collection—an application where proprietary LoRa technology is well-suited.  

AMI or fixed network collection is essential for superior service quality, enabling meter alarm management, frequent consumption reporting (typically hourly) and bidirectional communication. The current trend favors fixed networks that can expand to support additional utility applications, connecting ancillary devices like acoustic leak detectors, pressure and quality sensors, water level monitors, and remote-controlled smart valves or fire hydrants, as well as broader Smart City initiatives. Many utilities are choosing LoRaWAN for multi-metering applications. Its long-range communication capabilities, low power consumption, open protocol architecture, and extensive ecosystem enable cost-effective deployments, making LoRaWAN ideal for widespread smart metering and applications beyond traditional meter reading. The ultimate connectivity goal has always been achieving 100% coverage without network infrastructure maintenance concerns. Satellite connectivity combined with LoRa/LoRaWAN technology promises to turn this vision into reality. 

Throughout the exhibition, numerous discussions highlighted how LoRaWAN is enabling utilities to boost operational efficiency, strengthen leak detection capabilities, lower maintenance expenses, and build resilient infrastructure for the future. 

Image 1: Zenner USA, EchoStar Mobile & Semtech demonstration of Satellite–connected meter was the hype of the show. 

At the conference, a landmark moment in utility technology was unveiled when Zenner USA, EchoStar Mobile and Semtech demonstrated the world’s first direct-to-satellite LoRaWAN water meter capable to offer ubiquitous connectivity to utility metering industry in the United States. This cutting-edge solution enables Zenner’s Meter Interface Units for meters to communicate directly with satellites, with total costs of ownership compatible to what the market expects transforming how data is collected from water and gas meters, especially in remote or infrastructure-limited regions. 

Figure 1: View of the Meter Interface Unit from Zenner and the EchoStar LoRaWAN Relay to Satellite.

This innovation will allow utilities to transmit data directly to satellites using LoRaWAN-enabled meters. It marks a fundamental shift from traditional infrastructure, enabling real-time monitoring without the need to rely on cellular towers or local gateways and driving forward the smart utility revolution. 

What Satellite-Connected IoT Networks Enable 

• Ubiquitous Connectivity: Meters in rural, mountainous or infrastructure-scarce areas can now be connected as easily as those in urban centers. 

• Cost Efficiency: The solution eliminates costly cellular subscriptions and dense ground infrastructure while maintaining LoRaWAN connectivity at market-acceptable pricing. 

• Real-Time Insights: Continuous, two-way data exchange allows for smarter utility management and faster response times. 

• Low Power, Long Life: Devices can operate for years on a single battery, making large-scale deployments practical and sustainable. 

A Glimpse into the Future 

Attendees at ACE 2025 saw firsthand how this breakthrough collaboration is not only solving connectivity challenges but is setting the stage for next-generation smart utility systems. By merging Zenner's metering expertise, EchoStar's satellite reach and Semtech's LoRa technology, the trio is pushing the boundaries of what's possible in IoT and utility management. As utility providers strive to modernize and optimize, this satellite-enabled LoRaWAN network stands as a game-changer—empowering utilities with ubiquitous access for real-time control and sustainable innovation. 

According to Zenner Usa assessment, the potential market in the U.S. that could benefit from LoRaWAN connectivity with satellite represents a total of 426 million installed units for reading electricity, water and gas meters. Globally, the total number of installed smart meters is 1.7 billion at the end of 2023 and this number should double over the next decade to reach 3.4 billion at the end of 2033.  

Other key players who made their mark by showcasing LoRaWAN-enabled solutions included: 

Netmore, Kerlink, Neptune Technology Group, Mueller Water Products, Diehl Metering, SAGEMCOM, Sewerin, Subeca, X-TELIA. We also observed participation from companies involved in the water AMI value chain, including Pilot Things, Ellenex Industrial IoT, OrbiWise, and Actility. 

Figure 2- LoRaWAN Solutions for Water available for the US market. 

Witnessing so many innovators unite to accelerate digital transformation in the water sector was genuinely inspiring. The drive toward smart cities and resilient infrastructure is undeniable advancing one meter, one solution, and one breakthrough at a time. 

Looking ahead, LoRaWAN is clearly central to transforming the water utility landscape—not only across North America, but globally. Let's keep expanding the possibilities of connected water technologies. If you are interested in learning more and leveraging Semtech’s wireless technologies for smart metering and satellite connectivity, please reach out to us.