Which IEC protocol does your DSO actually need?
Grid operators (DSOs) each require a specific communication protocol before they’ll accept data from your assets. The three most commonly used protocols are IEC 60870-5-101, IEC 60870-5-104, and IEC 61850. The Teleport supports all three, so you don’t have to worry about integrating separate protocols for one DSO.
If you’re connecting solar farms, battery energy storage systems (BESS), EV charging hubs, or wind turbines to the grid, you need to exchange real-time telemetry and control signals with your DSO. Which protocol you need depends on how your site connects and what the DSO asks for.
These IEC standards are used most often:
Here we explain what each one is used for.
IEC 60870-5-101 (IEC 101): for sites still running on serial cables
This is used when your connection runs over serial wires, telephone lines, or radio links instead of a network cable—common on older infrastructure or where the DSO deliberately keeps its systems off the internet.
- A central system checks your site at intervals for readings, rather than your site pushing updates on its own.
- Data points (power output, switch status) are tagged with simple numeric IDs.
- Frequently required by German DSOs, who separate grid operator infrastructure from the internet by design (“Medienbruch”).
IEC 60870-5-104 (IEC 104): for sites on IP networks
Used for when your connection runs over standard network hardware, cellular, or the internet—the default for most DERs today.
- Devices push updates the moment something changes, instead of waiting to be asked.
- Standard across European DSOs for receiving production data and sending curtailment commands to distributed energy resources.
IEC 61850: for communication inside the substation
Used when you need equipment from different manufacturers to talk to each other inside a digital substation, at speeds IEC 101 and 104 aren’t built for. Data points are identified by name, not number, so engineers configuring multi-vendor equipment don’t have to cross-reference ID tables.
What the Teleport Gateway can do for you
The Teleport reads and speaks all three protocols. That means it can sit between your assets and your DSO (or any other party you connect to) without the need for a separate infrastructure for each protocol. Does your DSO use another protocol? No worries, we’re here to help, reach out to us below to start the conversation.
Want to read more about how the Teleport supports Realtime Interface? Visit our RTI-compliance page for more information.