Telensa

What Telensa does

Telensa, a brand within Signify (formerly Philips Lighting), designs, manufactures, and operates wireless smart street lighting control systems for municipalities, utilities, and large outdoor operators across North America, the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia Pacific. Its offering is built around three tightly integrated components: the Telecell control node, a hardware device installed on each luminaire that includes a revenue-grade metering chip; the Ultra Narrow Band (UNB) Low Power Wide Area Network that Telensa pioneered for low-cost city-scale IoT connectivity; and the PLANet Central Management System (CMS), the software platform that orchestrates, configures, and monitors entire streetlight estates, with stated capability to manage millions of connected nodes across multiple vendors via TALQ-certified interfaces.

The business has progressively broadened from single-purpose streetlight control into a multi-application smart city platform. The 2019 launch of Urban IQ, the Sensor Hub, and the Multi-Sensor Pods extended the network into traffic, footfall, pollution, and noise sensing with Microsoft Power BI-based analytics, while the City Data Guardian trust platform under the Urban Data Project positions the company in urban data governance and AI-assisted analytics on Azure. Supporting infrastructure includes the UniConnect interoperability layer combining APIs and TALQ compliance, the hybrid network approach mixing private radio with cellular options such as NB-IoT, and a manufacturing partnership with Sony UK Tech Centre in Pencoed, Wales, which produced the 2 millionth telecell in 2019.

Telensa's commercial model is enterprise B2B with multi-year contracts to municipalities and utilities, structured around hardware sales (control nodes and base stations) combined with subscription/managed-service components for the CMS and ongoing network management. Channel reach is delivered through regional sales offices in the Americas (Telensa Inc.), EMEA (Cambridge UK headquarters), and Asia Pacific (Signify Innovations Australia), plus an official channel alliance with Eaton Lighting for North American utility, city, and Department of Transport accounts. Documented deployments span 30+ cities and large estates such as Georgia Power's near-300,000-light conversion, NEC Birmingham's 652-acre venue, and UK county councils including Leicestershire, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex, and Hertfordshire, with documented energy reductions of 25-80% and ROI within 4-7 years on a 20-year product lifespan.

Name

Telensa

Legal name

Telensa Ltd

Website

https://telensa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Telensa, a Signify brand, delivers wireless smart street lighting control solutions based on Telecell hardware, UNB LPWAN connectivity, and its PLANet Central Management System, serving municipalities, utilities, and large venue operators across 30+ cities worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Smart Street Lighting Control Systems

NAICS

Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing (3351), Current-Carrying Wiring Device Manufacturing (335931)

SIC

Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640), Computer Communications Equipment (3576)

akta.pro primary industry

Lighting Controls & Smart Lighting Systems (BPABAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Lighting Controls & Building Integration (Drivers, sensors, dimming, lighting control panels, networked lighting) (IMAGAIAI), Building Connectivity Infrastructure (Wired/Wireless, Gateways, Edge) (HSAPAPAN)

Keywords

• Smart street lighting
• Wireless IoT networks
• Central management systems
• Urban sensor platforms
• Smart city infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Pampisford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Smart Street Lighting Control Systems: Sale of connected street lighting control solutions including Telecell control nodes, UNB network infrastructure, and PLANet CMS software platform. Revenue derived from hardware (control nodes) combined with software/subscription components for ongoing network management.
2. Smart City Sensor Platform (Urban IQ): Connectivity and sensor management solutions for smart city applications beyond street lighting. Revenue from sensor hub hardware and analytics dashboard services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Telensa manufactures and sells smart street lighting control hardware (Telecell control nodes and basestations) and software (PLANet Central Management System) using proprietary Ultra Narrow Band (UNB) wireless network technology. The integrated platform enables municipalities and utilities to remotely configure, monitor and dim streetlights, reduce energy consumption, and extend the network into broader smart city applications through the Urban IQ sensor connectivity solution and Sensor Hub hardware, alongside the City Data Guardian trust platform for secure urban data analytics.

Product overview

Telensa, a Signify brand, delivers smart street lighting control solutions as a unified platform-plus-modules architecture. The core offering centers on PLANet Central Management System (CMS) - a software platform that configures, orchestrates and monitors streetlight systems - paired with Telecell Control Nodes (hardware installed on luminaires) and Ultra Narrow Band (UNB) wireless network technology. These core components are complemented by the Sensor Hub for multi-sensor connectivity, UniConnect for API and interoperability capabilities, and Urban IQ for connecting third-party sensors with Microsoft Power BI analytics. The City Data Guardian platform, part of the Urban Data Project, provides trust and privacy controls for urban data. With over 15 years of experience and a hybrid network approach, Telensa enables cities worldwide to manage street lighting, host sensors, and build safer, more connected communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PLANet: Central Management System (CMS) for smart street lighting control and monitoring.
• UniConnect
• Telecell Control Node
• Urban IQ
• Urban Data Project

Products and services

• PLANet Central Management System (CMS) Software platform that configures, orchestrates and monitors entire streetlight systems and is capable of managing millions of connected streetlights across multiple networks and vendors (technology-agnostic). Targeted at municipalities, utilities, and large infrastructure operators.
• Telecell Control Node Wireless control node installed on each streetlight luminaire, enabling wireless communication, providing insights into light performance, and featuring a revenue-grade metering chip for accurate energy consumption recording. Sold to municipalities, utilities, and parks/ports operators.
• Urban IQ Future-proof sensor connectivity solution that connects third-party sensors over multiple wireless networks to a dashboard and analytics environment built on Microsoft Power BI, enabling cities to deploy sensors today while supporting any future smart city strategy. Targeted at cities and municipalities.
• Sensor Hub Multi-purpose device providing power and connectivity for multiple sensors on any light pole or arm, enabling sensors to be mounted anywhere on the light pole without adaptation to the luminaire and providing local wireless connectivity for sensors near the pole.
• City Data Guardian Secure-by-design trust platform that puts cities in control of their data, applies privacy policies, ensures regulatory compliance, and makes data available to improve services and drive future city revenues. Part of the Urban Data Project and built on Microsoft Azure with AI/ML for analysing traffic, footfall, pollution and noise data.
• Multi-Sensor Pods Devices that gather and fuse sensor data including camera and radar imaging to measure levels of traffic, footfall, pollution and noise. Data is processed at the edge for security before being transmitted to the City Data Guardian platform.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 80% energy savings when connected LED lighting is properly managed
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability4 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Microsoft (Azure IoT Central)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 November 2019Demonstrated smart city applications integration through Azure IoT Central at Smart City Expo World Congress Barcelona 2019. Combined street lighting control and traffic monitoring for 58% energy reduction. IoT Central provides common data fabric, analytics, device management and visualization.
• Eaton LightingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 September 2019Official alliance for North American market. Decade of joint projects covering hundreds of thousands of streetlights. Telensa controls integrated with Eaton LED luminaires for utilities, cities and Departments of Transport across North America. Partnership formalized at IES Street and Area Lighting Conference in San Diego.
• KainoscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 April 2019Kainos selected as lead digital and data partner for Urban Data Project. Building and supporting City Data Guardian trust platform. Partnership leverages Kainos' Microsoft Azure expertise and government digital services experience. Collaboration on Urban IQ sensor platform development.
• MicrosoftcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 April 2019Part of Urban Data Project consortium with Microsoft Azure as platform foundation. Azure IoT Central used for smart city application integration. Power BI for Urban IQ dashboard analytics. Microsoft UK Partner of the Year relationship with Kainos.
• Smart CambridgecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 April 2019Launch partner city for Urban Data Project. Cambridgeshire County Council Smart City Programme collaborating on urban data collection and AI/machine learning applications.
• Northeast GroupminorOthersIndustry analyst firm that has named Telensa as global #1 in smart street lighting. Provides market research and forecasting for smart street lighting industry.
• Salix FinancecoreOthersNot-for-profit organization providing interest-free finance for UK public sector energy efficiency projects. Supported 81 local authorities on street lighting projects with over £190m funding. Enables local authority procurement of Telensa smart street lighting solutions.
• DemmaminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBuilding Management System provider. Integrated Telensa API with NEC Birmingham's BMS system using Demma Integrator software. Enabled site staff to control Telensa system through existing BMS interface.
• Sony UK Tech CentrecoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerManufacturing partner for Telensa products at Sony UK Tech Centre in Pencoed, Wales. All Telecells and basestations manufactured at Sony facility. 2 millionth telecell milestone achieved. Products assembled in pods with high quality manufacturing standards.
• Navigant ResearchminorOthersIndustry analyst firm providing case study research on utility smart street lighting deployments including Georgia Power case study featured on Telensa website.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• DimOnOff: Canadian smart street lighting controls vendor serving North American municipalities and utilities. Direct competitive overlap with Telensa's Telecell/PLANet offering in targeted city-scale deployments.
• TVILIGHT: Niche Dutch provider of smart street lighting controls and city IoT. Direct competitor in the European mid-sized city segment with comparable LPWAN/mesh wireless architectures.
• Flashnet (now part of Engie): Provider of intelligent street lighting management (intelegrid platform) now backed by Engie. Competes in municipal networked lighting and is increasingly bundled with utility-scale energy services.

Direct peers

• Itron: Provides networked streetlight controls and smart city/utility IoT solutions (including the former Silver Spring Networks platform). Competes head-to-head with Telensa in utility smart lighting tenders globally, particularly in North America and Europe.
• Current (GE Current / Current Lighting): Offers intelligent LED street lighting with networked controls, including the LightGrid system. Direct competitor in municipal and utility smart street lighting deployments with strong North American market presence.
• Schréder (Shuffle / smart street lighting): European lighting manufacturer offering connected street lighting with integrated sensors and city management software. Direct peer in EMEA municipal smart city projects with similar wireless-control architecture.

Broad incumbents

• Acuity Brands: Large North American lighting and controls company with smart outdoor lighting offerings (DTL, ROAM). Competes in networked street lighting controls, although its primary focus is broader commercial lighting.
• Signify (Interact City / Philips Lighting): Global lighting giant and Telensa's parent company; offers the Interact City platform for networked street lighting and smart city IoT. Direct technology overlap and the most established incumbent in smart municipal lighting worldwide.
• Osram / ams OSRAM (Streetlight Control): Global lighting manufacturer offering smart street lighting solutions including the SymphoCity platform. Competes with Telensa in European municipal tenders and provides an alternative lighting-firmware-plus-controls stack.
• Cisco (Smart City / Kinetic for Cities): Provides smart city networking infrastructure including connected street lighting via the Cisco Kinetic platform. Overlaps in the smart city connectivity and management layer that Telensa also serves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/telensa
• Xx.com/telensa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Telensa