Optimal deployment of cellular networks for Advanced Measurement Infrastructure in Smart Grid

This paper presents a model for cellular communications infrastructure optimization considering its coexistence with an Advanced Measurement Infrastructure (AMI), using a strategy supported by a Cognitive Mobile Virtual Network Operator (C-MVNO). The goal is to ensure a secondary network operator is able to reuse the current communications infrastructure and use the same cellular telephony primary spectrum, but including a new user in the network, the so called Smart Meter, which is a fixed (non-mobile) user. The current work aims to the optimization of the cellular network base stations (BS) and of the interconnection links deployment by means of joining users in clusters defined by proximity and BS capacity. Thus, the model identifies the most suitable candidate sites for BS deployment and its partial-mesh optical-fiber interconnection network. It is included the links' traffic overhead analysis in order to decide the most suitable links as candidate for optimal optical network deployment. It is proposed a hybrid cellular-optical fiber design in order to permit the information reach the Measurement Data Management Systems (MDMS), which are placed in the centralized electric energy distribution offices, so to be processed and monitored. © 2014 IEEE.