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The Ambient (News - Alert) Corporation, a provider of secure, flexible and scalable smart grid communications and applications platforms, was looking for the right network to use for its smart grid initiatives. Well, it looks like it has found the right fit, as it has recently achieved certification top operate on the network of embedded M2M solutions provider Sprint.

Specifically, Ambient’s X-3100 Smart Grid Node with an embedded Sierra Wireless (News - Alert) MC8355 module is now certified to operate on the Sprint network. This certification will give North American utility companies more choices and greater flexibility when fulfilling the cellular commutations requirements of the Ambient Smart Grid Platform.

Executives at Ambient touted the benefits of the certification. “One of the key benefits of the Ambient solution is its flexibility, which we believe should be afforded not only by the communications options that we provide, but also by the potential carriers that our customers can use. We are delighted to have achieved this additional certification with Sprint (News - Alert), and pleased that we can now offer our customers the added functionality that the MC8355 module provides,” said John J. Joyce, president and CEO of Ambient Corporation.

Ram Rao, the company’s senior vice president and chief technology officer, agreed that the certification with Sprint is a good match, saying, “Utilizing carrier wireless networks for utility Wide Area Networks (WANs) offers an Internet Protocol (IP)-based backhaul solution, which benefits from lower latency, higher throughput and robust security. These are vital characteristics to meet the demands imposed by the growing number of smart devices and applications on distribution grids.”  

For its part, Sprint sees the arrangement as part of their ongoing M2M initiative to improve energy efficiency. “With the rising demand for energy and natural resources, machine-to-machine solutions give utilities and their customers a powerful emerging tool for automating services, managing demand and promoting sustainability,” said Wayne Ward, vice president-Emerging Solutions Group, Sprint. “Our collaboration with Ambient underscores our commitment to helping the utility industry improve efficiency.”

To find out more about SPRINT, visit the company at ITEXPO West 2012. To be held Oct. 2-5 at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, TX, ITEXPO (News - Alert) is the world’s largest technology and communications event. Visit SPRINT in booth #1119. For more information on ITEXPO West 2012, click here.