Water utilities issuing smart water AMI tenders face a bewildering array of connectivity options, each promising interoperability, reliability, and low total cost of ownership. This panel brings together network operators, meter OEMs, and connectivity architects to unpack what actually separates winning proposals from the rest. We'll examine how OMS compliance, reversibility (utility-owned vs. carrier-owned networks), and multi-vendor interoperability translate into concrete tender scoring criteria. Panelists will discuss why a mature multi-vendor ecosystem — spanning chipsets, modules, network infrastructure, and meter OEMs — drives down costs and de-risks long-term supply. They also will share real deployment data on network capacity planning and SLA guarantees, contrasting LoRaWAN's open ecosystem model against proprietary and cellular alternatives. Attendees will leave with a practical framework for evaluating connectivity bids beyond marketing claims.