Itron has completed the purchase of privately held smart grid technology developer SmartSynch for $100m.

The company said the deal will help it expand its smart grid products using a cellular network for communications and develop cellular communications business.

Itron president and chief executive officer LeRoy Nosbaum said, "By expanding our offering to include integrated cellular communications, we are positioned to help customers deploy the best technology mix and accelerate the adoption of smart metering and smart grid technologies."

SmartSynch, founded in 1998, has nearly 130 utility customers in North America, with cellular partners including AT&T, Rogers, T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon and C Spire.

The company’s technology has been picked by Consumers Energy to develop a complete cellular smart grid network for 1.9 million electric residential and commercial & industrial customers.

Itron offers energy and water resource management applications for about 8,000 utilities worldwide.