The challenge The global spread of digitization and the opening of electricity markets to competition have spawned new consumption-monitoring solutions and business models in the energy industry. This, in turn, has led to widespread adoption of cost-effective and standardized remote readout technologies for electricity suppliers. But there are barriers to some smart-metering systems. In Germany, for example, electricity meters are often installed in the cellars or basements of houses. This makes it increasingly challenging to read consumption data using licensed RF technologies, mainly due to the limited deep-indoor, signal-penetration strength. Two common alternatives – asking customers to record their meter reading manually, or having a technician visit the installation to

Join for free to read