Automatic meter reading (AMR) is promoted as a way to use electronic technology to reduce the cost of customer service and meter-reading. Manufacturers provide a wealth of technical data about hardware and software for AMR, but objective reviews of the current systems' economic feasibility are also needed. A nine-month trial of three manufacturers' AMR systems was conducted in Lexington, Ky., to determine the cost-effectiveness of radio-frequency hand-held meter-reading equipment. All three systems accurately read meters in pits at distances up to 500 ft (150 m). Economic justification inherently varies significantly from site to site. For the site described in this article, economic analysis indicated that installation of the most economical system would increase the cost of each meter read by $0.22.
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