A new initiative from DC hybrid power systems manufacturer Controllis is set to help bring more reliable mobile coverage within reach of people in even the most remote areas.

The ‘Five 5s’ programme cuts the up-front and ongoing costs of providing reliable network power to mobile phone towers and offers peace of mind when it comes to maintenance – removing a lot of the barriers to deploying and operating mobile networks in rural communities in countries with little existing infrastructure.

“Our DC hybrid systems are already saving operators thousands of dollars per site per year while reducing downtime per site,” said Lee Johnson, head of sales and marketing at Controllis. “The Five 5s programme is designed to build on those benefits and address the issues operators have with hybrid systems – primarily cost of ownership, reliability and battery life.”

The Five 5s programme includes a unique 5-year battery-life guarantee, on top of 5 years of free remote monitoring, a full 5-year warranty on the hybrid power system, a 5-year leasing capability and the option of 5 nines of reliability – or 99.999% uptime.

“Our deployed customer base stretches from South America to Asia, Africa and Europe,” said Mr Johnson. “Millions of system running hours have given us the data and confidence to offer a solution that meets the commercial needs of both tower companies and mobile operators. In launching the Five 5s we are setting a new precedent in assuring the performance and operation of power networks.”

Tower companies typically spend hundreds of millions – and, in some cases, billions – of dollars buying and operating sites. The Controllis 5-year leasing option means they can avoid up-front costs on power systems and dramatically reduce ongoing costs – aligning their spend more closely with their operating models.

The remote monitoring element of the Five 5s programme includes a connectivity option via built-in data SIMs and access to the Controllis cloud-based remote management server. The visibility and control of remote sites provided by the monitoring dramatically reduces the number of site visits.

The Controllis range of DC generators and hybrid energy power solutions helps mobile operators and tower companies provide more reliable and cost-effective power networks – giving them competitive advantage through improved network access and a better user experience.