Reportlinker Adds Next Generation Utility CIS

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Feb 01, 2011, 02:26 ET

NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:

Next Generation Utility CIS

http://www.reportlinker.com/p0370591/Next-Generation-Utility-CIS.html

Utility Billing and Customer Information Systems in the Age of the Smart Grid: Market Analysis and Forecasts

The market for utility customer information systems (CIS) and billing solutions is on the brink of a major transformation as many leading utilities prepare for an overhaul of their systems infrastructure. With a large number of systems that are more than 20 years old and designed for a simpler business model of regulated electricity distribution, utilities' smart grid initiatives are having a heavy influence on the selection of more robust systems that can handle data feeds from smart meters, time-of-use (TOU) and real-time pricing (RTP), demand response (DR) programs, net metering, and the sheer volume of data that will be generated from the smart grid. Pike Research anticipates that this systems transformation will represent a total market opportunity of more than $4 billion.

Over the next few years, this massive upgrade will be accompanied by fundamental shifts in the competitive landscape for utility CIS and billing. While Customer/1 is the leading system in use today, many smart grid utilities will have no choice but to fully replace it. As it phases out from the competitive landscape, Customer/1 will leave a vacuum that established vendors, such as SAP and Oracle, are eager to fill. The vacuum also attracts new entrants from the telecommunications CIS and billing world, such as Convergys and others.

This Pike Research report analyzes the market opportunity for CIS and billing systems upgrades among utilities in the United States. It examines the business drivers, key applications, technology issues, and competitive dynamics that will define the next generation of utility systems in the smart grid age. The study features profiles of key industry players, including SWOT analysis, as well as market forecasts through 2015.

Key questions addressed:

Are utilities ready to transform their CIS and billing system, and why?

Which vendors should benefit from utilities' CIS and billing systems transformation?

How big is the CIS market for software vendors?

Do telecom CIS and billing system vendors have a chance to succeed in this market?

What do key players need to do in order to get a share of this market?

Who needs this report?

Utilities

Utility CIS and billing software vendors

Telecom CIS and billing software vendors

Consulting and systems integration firms

AMI and MDMS integrators