In 2020, Chengdu City Investment Construction Group launched a city lighting and smart multi-function pole reform pilot. Xiamen IOTCOMM provided core technology support across R&D, large-scale network commissioning, and IoT platform development—deploying approximately 180,000 smart streetlights across 3,000+ streets and managing over 210,000 control nodes. This is China's first operational megacity-level smart lighting benchmark.

Project plan

For years, Chengdu's legacy lighting system was stuck with energy-hungry sodium lamps, whole-circuit control that couldn't pinpoint individual faults, and entirely offline maintenance workflows. Finding a broken streetlight meant either walking the streets or waiting for someone to complain.

The project deployed IOTCOMM's proprietary PLC+RF433 dual-mode concurrent communication technology—two channels working simultaneously with automatic failover. The platform handles massive concurrent interactions from 180,000 streetlights and 210,000 control nodes with second-level response for both commands and status feedback. This communication backbone makes everything else possible.

The platform's GIS layer visualizes every streetlight and controller in real time. When a light fails, the system immediately identifies it by fault type—lamp damage, line break, or power anomaly. An embedded AI engine then prioritizes repairs and auto-dispatches work orders. What's more, the platform connects directly to Chengdu's 12345 public service hotline. Citizen complaints sync automatically; repair dispatch, execution, and feedback form a fully traceable digital loop.

During Sichuan's summer droughts, when the power grid is under severe strain, the platform can remotely reduce streetlight power draw city-wide while maintaining safe illumination levels. Verified daily savings: 47,545 kWh. Streetlights literally making room for residential power demand.

5,000+ smart multi-function poles integrate lighting, EV charging, info displays, environmental sensors, and video surveillance into unified roadside nodes—breaking down data silos across previously separate systems. 

Results of the project

The project replaced legacy sodium lamps with high-efficiency LEDs and installed 100,000+ IOTCOMM LCU controllers and 2,500+ smart control cabinets. Time-based dimming and zone-level power regulation delivered a second layer of savings—lights automatically dim during low-traffic hours without compromising safety. Net result: 50% energy reduction, nearly 100 million RMB saved annually on electricity alone.