Thursday, August 20, 2015

Save On Cost With Automated Meter Reading Billing Software

By Nancy Gardner


This is a technology that is widely used by power suppliers, water suppliers and gas suppliers to manage their power and water consumption and also help them to determine their production levels or optimal production levels. They involve automated data collection, reading status gauge and diagnostic of meters from these automated gadgets. The data collected has to be sent back to a central station for editing, trouble shooting and billing. The technology has enable the user to save on cost since they no longer have to travel to individual locations to be able to get the reading. Automated meter reading billing software is linked to database and it constantly updates the master file.

This technology for measuring come in various types that is the handheld, wireless, radio frequency and other devices that utilize network not forgetting transmission through power. A lot of people before did not embrace this technology but now they have come to know of it benefit and are using it.

Another type of indicator reader is mobile mostly known as drive by. This type of gauge is attached to motor vehicles. This indicator reader directs the car while the installed gauge reading device collects the reading automatically. Satellite based transmitters can be fixed next to already existing meters.

Some of these automated devices are touch based devices which is simultaneously used together with handheld device. It has probe which when it come into contact with any meter it can automatically take the reading, record them in a laptop which then transmits the data collected to a central station.

One type of handheld device is keypad entry where readers of these gauge read them manually and key in their readings in a handheld device. The reader then has to go back to the station and give the device to a clerk who downloads the device recorded data into electronic software for billing. This method is cost effective if applied in smaller cities where there are no many users to allow them benefit from time saving advantage of this device.

Automated reader has converted physical, labor intensive commercial, residential and industrial collection of data to a simple exercise with little physical movement by use of computerized devices to collect data with minimal supervision. This has cut down expense associated with meter maintenance, eliminated errors in the system and the chances of malicious data manipulation, fastened data transmission and enable accurate information to be relayed to customers.

Another automated device that is in operation is the use of radio network frequency which comes in many forms. The common ones involve satellite and solutions based on fixed network.

This radio transceiver will send a signal to transmitter booting it up. The transceiver attached to gauge will send radio signal and receive the same. These transmitters can either transmit data one way or use continuous broadcast where the data is sent continuously as it occurs. There is a hybrid system that integrates both two way and one way technologies.

There are a few limitations with this system though, the first one is that utility can sometimes limit the amount apportioned to users, some programs are limited to certain geographical area hence shutting off some users, there is privacy invasion, the system can be hacked into as it is being transmitted, it minimizes reliability and promotes information redundancy.




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