TPG Telecom has signed a 10-year deal to manage one million narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) smart meters for South East Water in Victoria, Australia.

The Australian telco claims the contract is the largest of its kind in the country.

The deal will see smart NB-IoT (narrowband IoT) digital meters replace mechanical water meters.

TPG claims the deal will help around 1.7 million customers save money and water.

The smart water meters will be deployed across South East Water’s 27,000km pipe network.

It's estimated that the network of smart water meters will help save five billion liters of water each year, supported by enhanced network operation and customer leak detection.

According to TPG, the digital meters will allow customers to track and manage their water consumption through daily information, allowing them to identify usage spikes.

TPG Telecom noted it's developed an end-to-end IoT solution combining NB-IoT connectivity, SIM, and device management to enable the deployment of smart meters at scale.

Through this, TPG can securely connect the NB-IoT smart meters, reduce costs and security risks, and provide the critical monitoring and enhanced coverage needed for its network of water meters and pipe network.

Earlier this year, TPG Telecom and Optus signed a network-sharing agreement to extend their respective network coverage across the country.