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New HEMS Service using Hikari BOX Plus for Electricity Retailers

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone West Corporation (Head office: Osaka-shi, Osaka; President: Kazutoshi Murao, hereinafter, NTT West) and NTT Comware Corporation (Head office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Shinobu Umino, hereinafter, NTT Comware) start the new services as Hikari BOX Plus (HB-1000 (2)/telecommunication equipment) (hereinafter, Hikari BOX Plus (EMS version)*1*2), which contains the functions of HEMS controller*3 and interlinked*4 with Smartmeter*5, for its alliance partners including electricity retailers. Along with the new functions available with the upgrade, the While List (the list of electric appliances)*6 are also updated.

1. Background
NTT West and NTT Comware have been providing EMS services with Hikari BOX Plus for MEMS aggregators*7.
In the current trend in Japan, new carriers start to enter the electricity market. Under the circumstances toward the deregulation of retail electricity in April 2016, there is also an increasing need of HEMS controllers connectable to Smartmeters in order for various electricity retailers to improve their unique service menu and added value services.
In order to meet such needs of the carriers, we have obtained the access authentication*8 for Smartmeter and developed a data display of Smartmeter which would be required by the electricity retailers, as well as updating the services and new lineups of electric appliances applicable, including its remote control and interconnection, as a new HEMS controller connectable to Smartmeter.
2. Outline and Features of the Product

Hikari BOX Plus (EMS version) is the HEMS controller for Smartmeter connection, which enables visualization of usage of electricity using the TV monitors and controls of home electric appliances including air conditioners and electric water heaters. Furthermore, "the dedicated display function*9" available mainly for carriers since July 2015, the HOME page of the display for Hikari BOX Plus can be customized according to the needs of each electricity retailer.
The service is available for various manufacturers based on White List, which has been published, as well as for customization of the content for each carrier (e.g. electricity billing, interconnection with their own services and information delivery) as a "user-friendly HEMS". Various games and apps, one of the major features of Hikari BOX Plus, are also available.

[Feature]

(1) Data Display of Smartmeter
- Data collected by B Route*10 can be displayed by interconnecting with Smartmeter for visualization of instantaneous and accumulated power consumption.
- Collected data can be used as a big data by uploading them to Cloud services.

(2) Remote access/control of electric appliances
In addition to the conventional functions of the system using a TV monitor, the remote control features*11 are available from smartphones to improve user-friendliness.

(3) New lineups of applicable electric appliance manufacturers and products
- The functions to connect to Smart switchboards is improved for visualization of power consumption of the entire house and each room.
- IH cooking heater and downlight apparatus are also available to connect to the system.

(4) Customization of HOME Page using the dedicated data display settings
HOME page can be customized by carrier for their unique HEMS service to their end-users.
Hikari BOX Plus (EMS version) will enable to improve added-value of various services of the carriers and have their services more attractive to the end-users.

*1:Provided as an electric appliance controller equipped with ECHONET Lite-applicable middleware/software under ECHONET Lite standards. ECHONET Lite standards are the telecommunications standards established by ECHONET Consortium to design a home network system. The standards cover the requirements for more than 80 types of equipment including electric appliances, Smartmeter, and solar power generation system. ECHONET is a registered trademark of ECHONET Consortium.
*2:The next generation wattmeter for Internet connection. It has a telecommunication equipment within the meter and collect data of power consumption. This wattmeter is different from the conventional induction type analog wattmeter.
*3:920MHzUSB dongle, for wireless connection at 920MHz, is separately required for interconnection with Smartmeter.
*4:For Internet connection using this product, broadband access to the Internet and the signup/service fee of Flets Hikari providers are required separately. The service will require a television with HDMI connection. Please see NTT West website (http://www.ntt-west.co.jp/kiki/hikaribox/) for further information.
*5:A general type of Hikari BOX Plus is not applicable to ECHONET Lite-based electric appliance control and interconnection with Smartmeter.
*6:Items for operation and monitoring are subject to conditions of electric appliance manufacturers and equipment. Please see Reference and the website below for further information on equipment of the manufacturers. https://xemspf.comware.biz/hikaribox/index.html
*7:"MEMS aggregator" is a carrier certified by Sustainable open Innovation Initiative (SII), General Incorporated Association, to provide the services of MEMS for energy management of the entire condominium building and energy management support services (to support energy saving activities by monitoring energy consumption of facilities) by creating a centralized energy management system using Cloud services.
(Reference: Press Release dated October 3, 2014, http://www.nttcom.co.jp/english/news/en14100301.html)
*8:SMA Certification is the compliance certification given by a third party certification organization for prototype testing conducted in accordance with the specification of the application networking interface between smart meter/HEMS controller.
(Reference: Press Release dated January 27, 2015, http://www.nttcom.co.jp/english/news/en15012701.html)
*9:The function to display the HOME page customized by carriers, instead of NTT Westfs HOME, according to their unique apps and services on the Hikari BOX Plus of their end user. The page may be produced by NTT West according to orders of carriers as a optional service.
The fee is subject to change depending on the needs for quotation.
*10:The connection between Smartmeter and HEMS controller.
*11:A dedicated application is required to install to smartphones for remote access. The target electric appliance needs to be connected to Internet. The remote control functions may be limited for some electric appliances.

3. Roles of the Companies

(1) NTT West

  • Development of the entire strategy of the service
  • Various coordination between electric appliance manufacturers and energy carriers etc.

    • (2)NTT Comware

    • Sales/provision of Hikari BOX Plus (EMS version) etc.
    • Development of electric appliance controller functions using Hikari BOX Plus (EMS version) etc.
    • Verification of interconnections of Hikari BOX Plus (EMS version) etc . and ECHONET Lite-based electric appliance etc.

      • 4. Start of the Service
      Late October 2015 (to be confirmed)

      5. Coverage
      Japan (nationwide)

      6. Price
      By quotation

      *The fee will be approximately 30,000 yen for Hikari BOX Plus (EMS version) but it is subject to change depending on the service conditions.
      *The fee includes EMS for five (5) years.
      *920MHzUSB dongle is separately required for interconnection with Smartmeter.
      *The fee excludes tax. Consumption tax will be added.

The information shown in this page is the latest as of the day of the release. It is subject to change without further notice. Thank you for your kind understanding and consideration. PageTop

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