Optimal Planning for Cellular Networks for Smart Metering Infrastructure in Rural and Remote Areas * Óptima Planeación de Redes Celulares para la Infraestructura de Medición Inteligente en Zonas Rurales y Remotas

* Research article derived from research project entitled “Modelamiento y simulacion de redes inalambricas para la medicion inteligente de energia electrica residencial rural”. Funded by the Universidad Politecnica Salesiana y Grupo de investigacion en redes electricas inteligentes GIREI. Starting Date: February 06, 2014. Compleition Date: March 20, 2015. Abstract— Smart metering is used to control, monitor and know the system status in real time; to this effect, the incorporation of smart grids primarily benefits the electrical system; similarly, the reuse of infrastructure and cellular spectrum help mitigate the time and cost of its implementation. In order to reduce traffic and saturation of cellular networks, this paper aims at determining the optimal route for information transmission analyzing the optimal routing through distances and optimal routing through traffic flow. This analysis helps determine what the optimal route is, when there is no traffic on the wireless network, or when there is prolonged traffic, and what the traffic tendencies are, that may occur by excessive information transmission of smart meters to electric distribution companies.