OREANDA-NEWS. January 18, 2016. FD (AIM: FDP.L, ESM: FDP.I), a leading provider of software and consulting services, announces that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Utilismart Corporation, a meter data management and analytics company with more than 100 clients including electricity, water and gas utilities across North America.

The MOU is expected to lead to an agreement to use the Group's Kx technology for sensor analytics in conjunction with Utilismart's suite of smart grid software applications, to support the management of Utilismart's customers' meter and sensor data, including data collection, processing and analytic services for engineering, operations, customer service, metering and billing.

Under the proposed agreement, FD will provide the Kx technology and related infrastructure to complement Utilismart's existing solution. This will significantly enhance Utilismart's ability to serve this high growth segment immediately and keep pace with new customer demand related to the Internet of Things connected to utility infrastructure. It will be delivered as a Cloud-based solution and is expected to be installed by Q3 2016 with FD being remunerated on a monthly recurring revenue share basis for additional meters installed.

Utilismart selected the Kx-based solution following detailed evaluation of competing solutions and their ability to capture, store and manipulate big fast data sets. When implemented, the system will provide a significant installed user base for the Group's sensor data platform.

John Avdoulos, President, Utilismart, commented: "Utilities are changing and the utilities of the future will look dramatically different from utilities of today. As more sensors and devices are deployed and as the utility is transformed, the marriage of Utilismart's Online Data Solution and FD's Kx technology for sensor analytics will revolutionise how utilities use data."

Brian Conlon, Chief Executive Officer of FD, commented: "We are delighted to partner with Utilismart and look forward to delivering innovative solutions to its existing and new utility customers. This is a landmark agreement for FD in further propagating the Kx technology. It further evidences our belief that our technology is ideally suited for the processing and analysis of sensor data and will provide reference clients across the Internet of Things, electricity, water and gas industries."