Itron recently participated in the Utility Broadband Alliance (UBBA) Summit & Plugfest 2026: the industry’s leading forum for advancing private broadband networks that power critical infrastructure. This annual gathering brings together utilities, technology innovators and ecosystem partners to accelerate connectivity solutions that enable grid modernization and digital transformation.  

This year’s Summit focused on key priorities for utilities across North America, including interoperability, resilience and next-generation connectivity. At Plugfest, vendors and utilities worked side by side in real-world testing environments to validate how private LTE and emerging 5G networks perform and stay secure. The event featured hands-on demonstrations and interactive sessions designed to drive innovation and strengthen the utility broadband ecosystem. This is the kind of collaboration that moves the industry forward and shapes the future of utility connectivity.  

Itron’s Role & Highlights 

Itron showcased its leadership in Intelligent Connectivity by demonstrating solutions that enable next-generation AMI, DERMS and Consumer Engagement use cases through distributed compute and intelligence applications. Building on prior successes with advanced AMI traffic models and simulations, this year’s demonstrations focused on optimizing capacity usage, supporting edge computing and ensuring reliable performance for mission-critical utility operations.  

Key highlights included: 

• Advanced Metering Infrastructure (next-generation AMI): Live demonstrations in the Itron booth and the next-generation AMI corner featured our next-generation metering platform, enabling real-time grid monitoring with waveform anomaly detection for early fault detection and location isolation.  
• Distributed Energy Resource Management (DERMS): Itron collaborated with Duquesne Light Company (DLC) for an educational session on communication needs and alternatives for DERMS, highlighting Itron’s market-leading IntelliFLEX platform.  
• Private LTE Integration: Tested LTE Cat-M1 capacity boosters (RAI and Extended TBS), eSIM failover scenarios (SGP.32 and pre-SGP.42) and battery-powered performance benchmarks using eDRX and PSM modes. 
• Edge Intelligence: Presented a robust, secure distributed compute framework and demonstrated how distributed applications can reduce latency and enhance resiliency at the grid edge. 

Technology Partner Collaboration & Industry Impact 

Itron partnered with leading utilities and technology providers—including Nokia, Ericsson and Anterix—to validate interoperability and performance benchmarks. These collaborations highlight Itron’s commitment to delivering scalable, secure and future-ready solutions that help utilities navigate the energy transition and modernize critical infrastructure.  

Leading the Way in Broadband Innovation 

As utilities face mounting challenges—from electrification to cybersecurity—UBBA Plugfest continues to serve as a catalyst for innovation. Itron’s participation reinforces its vision of a connected, intelligent grid powered by robust broadband infrastructure.  

Stay tuned for more insights from Itron at upcoming industry events, including DTECH 2026 in San Diego and Itron Inspire 2026 in Houston.