G3-Hybrid
G3-Hybrid represents a major evolution in smart metering communication. Designed to combine Power Line Communication (PLC) and Radio Frequency (RF) into a single, seamless network, this hybrid technology ensures reliable data transmission even in the most challenging environments.
Unlike single-mode systems, G3-Hybrid dynamically adapts to field conditions, automatically selecting the most efficient communication path between PLC and RF. This makes it particularly effective for mixed urban and rural networks, where signal quality and grid topology can vary significantly.
For Andrea Informatique, G3-Hybrid is a strategic component of next-generation smart metering architectures. Our engineers integrate, test, and validate G3-Hybrid communication stacks directly within our modules and solutions, ensuring full interoperability under the DLMS/COSEM standard.
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Research and Development
Andrea Informatique invests continuously in the evolution of G3-Hybrid technology. Our R&D activities focus on network optimization, adaptive routing, and AI-assisted diagnostics, to improve the performance and predictability of hybrid communication systems.
We also participate in international working groups and interoperability workshops to ensure our stacks align with future DLMS/COSEM profiles and communication standards.
The company’s goal is to anticipate the needs of future smart grids, where communication reliability, low latency, and secure data exchange will be critical for managing distributed energy resources and demand-response applications.
Andrea’s Expertise
Andrea Informatique has over fifteen years of experience in smart metering communication technologies, including G3-PLC, PRIME, RF mesh, and now G3-Hybrid.
Our multidisciplinary team covers all layers of the stack — from physical communication to DLMS data exchange — allowing us to validate and fine-tune performance at every level.
Our deep involvement in DLMS/COSEM standardization and our Phenix testing framework provide us with a unique vantage point in ensuring compliance, interoperability, and long-term support.
Whether for utilities deploying hybrid networks or manufacturers integrating hybrid modules into their products, Andrea offers comprehensive technical assistance, training, and maintenance.
The Future of Hybrid Networks
G3-Hybrid is more than a protocol — it represents a transition toward adaptive, intelligent, and software-defined communication networks.
By unifying PLC and RF into a single, dynamic layer, it provides the foundation for resilient smart grids capable of supporting next-generation energy services such as dynamic pricing, grid automation, and distributed generation management.
Andrea continues to explore how hybrid communication, combined with AI and edge computing, can further enhance the reliability and efficiency of utility infrastructures.
The Principle of Hybrid Communication
At the core of G3-Hybrid lies a simple but powerful concept: flexibility.
Each device in the network — whether a meter, data concentrator, or gateway — can communicate through PLC (over existing power lines) or through RF (via radio signals). The system automatically selects the best route to transmit data, guaranteeing stability and continuity of service.
This self-adaptive network structure allows G3-Hybrid to overcome one of the main limitations of earlier technologies: communication dropouts caused by electrical noise or physical obstacles. With its hybrid design, the network remains operational even when one communication channel becomes degraded.
Technically, G3-Hybrid relies on IPv6, ensuring scalability and compatibility with modern IP-based infrastructures. It incorporates advanced routing, low-latency communication, and robust encryption mechanisms such as AES-128, providing both performance and security.
Integration at Andrea Informatique
Andrea Informatique develops and maintains its own G3-Hybrid communication stacks, optimized for integration into DLMS/COSEM-compatible systems.
This mastery of the full software layer allows Andrea to offer customized, high-performance solutions for utilities and meter manufacturers.
Our G3-Hybrid stack has been fully validated in our interoperability lab, using the Phenix test environment to ensure conformance and non-regression testing across multiple vendor devices.
It integrates natively with Smarthawk for configuration and diagnostics, and with Colibri for on-site installation and commissioning.
By providing a unified, flexible framework, Andrea simplifies the deployment and maintenance of hybrid networks — ensuring interoperability, stability, and long-term scalability.
Technical Advantages
The strength of G3-Hybrid lies in its dual communication capability.
It allows utilities to design mixed infrastructures where meters can seamlessly switch between PLC and RF, ensuring optimal coverage without requiring separate hardware or network layers.
From a technical perspective, this offers several key advantages:
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Resilience and redundancy: automatic switching between communication media guarantees service continuity.
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Scalability: IPv6 addressing enables massive deployments with thousands of nodes.
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Interoperability: native support of DLMS/COSEM ensures cross-vendor communication.
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Efficiency: reduced latency and optimized bandwidth usage.
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Security: encrypted and authenticated data exchange.
This approach significantly reduces the complexity of network planning and maintenance, while improving communication reliability and total cost of ownership.
Use Cases and Deployment Scenarios
G3-Hybrid has become a preferred choice for utilities modernizing their distribution networks. It is currently deployed across several European and Middle Eastern pilot programs, often as part of multi-utility strategies where electricity, gas, and water metering systems share common communication infrastructures.
Typical use cases include:
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Urban smart grids, where PLC ensures stable communication across dense infrastructures and RF extends reach in difficult zones.
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Rural networks, where RF fills gaps caused by long power line distances or weak PLC coupling.
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Retrofit projects, allowing utilities to upgrade existing PLC networks without changing the meter hardware.
Andrea assists its partners from feasibility studies to field validation, providing network topology analysis, protocol adaptation, and complete support for certification and interoperability testing.