Successful Plugfest Brings Greater Flexibility and Vendor Independence to the Smart Meter Rollout via Broadband Powerline
Haigerloch/Mannheim, November 11, 2026 – Power Plus Communications AG (PPC) and Theben Smart Energy successfully tested the interoperability of their smart meter gateway solutions via broadband powerline (BPL) at a joint plugfest in late October 2026. For grid and metering point operators, this provides greater flexibility with regard to SMGWs and the expansion of their BPL platform.
During the plugfest, the development teams from PPC and Theben tested the interaction of their respective components. The focus was on the reliable communication of Theben’s smart meter gateways via Nessum 1T modules and, consequently, their connection to the BPL infrastructures that have already been widely deployed. The successful tests confirm cross-vendor compatibility and lay the foundation for the use of Theben SMGWs in a BPL structure.
Greater vendor independence in the BPL rollout
Broadband powerline enables data communication over existing power lines and offers operational and economic advantages over a cellular connection. With the interoperability that has been achieved, grid operators and metering point operators will be able to act more flexibly in the future when selecting their smart meter gateways and BPL connections. Existing infrastructure can be used across different manufacturers, and rollout strategies can be designed independently of individual device vendors.
“This collaboration underscores once again that open standards are the key to true interoperability and provide our customers with maximum flexibility in designing their infrastructure. With this integration, our CONEXA is compatible with all leading BPL providers on the market and reinforces our approach to interoperability in the smart meter ecosystem,” explains Ruwen Konzelmann, CEO of Theben Smart Energy.
And Ingo Schönberg, CEO of PPC, adds: “High availability in basements, quick installation, and cost-efficiency are crucial for a successful rollout. With BPL, network and metering point operators can achieve over 95% basement availability and, thanks to interoperability, integrate SMGWs from various manufacturers. Thanks to cost and operational advantages combined with interoperability, BPL is becoming a preferred WAN solution for the rollout.”
With the successful plugfest, both companies underscore their shared goal of further accelerating cross-vendor interoperability in the smart meter rollout and strengthening the contribution of digitalization to the energy transition.
