Itron Expands Prepayment Solution in Timor-Leste in Southeast Asia

LIBERTY LAKE, Wash. — March 4, 2014 — Itron, Inc. (NASDAQ: ITRI), a world-leading technology and services company dedicated to the resourceful use of energy and water, announced today the expansion of its electricity prepayment vending system to the Baucau District of Timor-Leste in Southeast Asia. The vending system is activated using SMS (Short Message Service) vouchers via mobile phone. Baucau is the first district outside of Timor-Leste's capital of Dili to implement a prepaid electricity system using SMS vouchers. The Itron solution gives consumers a convenient, cost-effective way to prepay for electricity while simplifying utility operations and improving cash flow.

Itron, local telecommunications provider Telkomcel, subsidiary company of PT.Telekomunikasi Indonesia International (TELIN) and the Timor-Leste Ministry of Public Works signed an agreement to roll out an electricity prepayment vending system using SMS vouchers for the country. Under this collaboration, Itron provides the vending system while Telkomcel facilitates token activation through SMS vouchers, enabling consumers to prepay for their electricity directly using their mobile phones. Approximately 80,000 consumers throughout Timor-Leste now have access to this prepayment vending system.

Before the launch of the vending system in Baucau, residents had to travel to the capital of Dili to purchase prepayment credits in a roundtrip journey costing approximately $USD 2 by taxi, a significant expense for a country with a gross national income per capita of $USD 3,620* in 2012. With the SMS vending system, purchasing prepayment credits costs the price of an SMS which is a few cents and is almost instantaneous with no travel time.

At the official launch and signing ceremony in Baucau, December 2013, Itron Indonesia which was represented by George Daenuwy, Indonesia Sales Director, officially handed over the new system to Jose Fernandez, EDTL Director of Customer Service. In that ceremony, State Minister for Timor-Leste Electricity, Mr. Januari Pereira, said that the"electrification in Timor Leste will be successful if the government uses partners like Itron."

"As the main provider of prepayment solutions to Timor-Leste since 2003, Itron is very pleased to roll out further prepayment vending points in Baucau, providing its residents easier access to prepayment tokens by the convenience of their mobile phones," said Alan White, Itron vice president of sales, marketing and delivery for electricity in the Asia-Pacific region. "Our collaboration with Telkomcel and the Timor-Leste Ministry of Public Works paves the way for further prepayment vending points within Timor-Leste, making prepaid electricity accessible to more customers."

*Source: The World Bank