M-Bus
A proven communication standard designed for gas metering, and a reliable relay wherever multi-energy compatibility is needed
M-Bus in Andrea's Architecture
The M-Bus protocol is one of the most established and reliable communication technologies used in smart metering. While it has been adopted across several utility sectors, its strongest and most strategic application remains gas metering, where long battery life, stable communication, and predictable behavior are essential.
At Andrea Informatique, we have developed wired and wireless M-Bus stacks that are deployed in thousands of gas meters, proving their robustness and suitability for large-scale field operations.
M-Bus as a Core Layer for Gas Projects
For gas metering, M-Bus is one of Andrea’s preferred technologies.
We embed our own wired and wireless M-Bus stacks into gas meters and communication modules developed with our partners, and we use them in pilots and large-scale deployments across Europe and beyond.
Andrea uses M-Bus to:
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structure and secure data collection for gas utilities,
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support long-life, battery-powered meters,
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simplify integration with existing gas data acquisition systems,
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ensure interoperability in multi-vendor environments.
A Relay Interface in Electricity and Multi-Energy Systems
In electricity metering, Andrea does not position M-Bus as the primary communication technology. Instead, we use it as a relay interface in mixed infrastructures where gas, heat, and sometimes electricity must coexist on common reading systems.
Andrea leverages M-Bus to:
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connect electricity meters to legacy or shared M-Bus backbones,
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feed multi-utility concentrators where gas is the main driver,
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provide a secondary path alongside G3-PLC, RF mesh, Wi-SUN, or LTE/NB-IoT.
Integration into Andrea’s Technology Stack
M-Bus is fully integrated into Andrea’s wider technology ecosystem:
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Our embedded M-Bus stacks are written in C++ and tailored for constrained devices.
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We connect M-Bus communication with DLMS/COSEM or application layers when projects require a unified data model.
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Through tools like Phenix, we validate behavior and interoperability in real test environments.
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With Smarthawk and Colibri, we support configuration, diagnostics, and field installations where M-Bus is part of the communication mix.
For Andrea, M-Bus is never treated as a standalone feature — it is always integrated into a complete turnkey solution that includes metrology, application logic, communication, and testing.
Project Usage and Typical Scenarios
Andrea uses M-Bus in:
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National or regional gas programs, where M-Bus is the main field communication layer.
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Retrofit projects, where existing M-Bus infrastructures must be preserved while modernizing meters and systems.
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Multi-energy deployments, where gas remains the main driver, and electricity or heat are attached as additional channels.
In each case, Andrea adapts its M-Bus implementations to the project’s architecture, rollout strategy, and long-term maintenance constraints.
Andrea's M-Bus Technology Stack
