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 real time data which is then processed to produce meaningful information can be helpful to utility providers and their clients, this is because they can control production and consumption of gas usage and production, water consumption and production and consumption of electric energy.

Automatic reader technology for meters includes handheld, radio frequency, wireless and technologies that use network and lastly power line transmission. Back then these devices were viewed as expensive but today due to technology advancement and awareness most clients are embracing it because of it economical benefits.

The satellite automated reader will be in touch with installed indicator so as to get the readings, readings are then sent through mobile satellite or fixed network. Narrow band and spread spectrum are mostly used technologies for automated reading for meters.

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.

This technology allows for extra service work whereby gauge readers can be able to process more than a hundred different orders and also supporting other functions such as disconnections, upgrades, collection of data, removes and transmission of information. This improves workers productivity by processing many orders within a short period of time, enhances satisfaction by customers with accurate and fast billing.

This system removes tedious and long procedures for of collecting and sending data to main office for processing. This consolidates the whole process, maximize a firm return on investment, and facilitate division of labor in the firm and to quickly and easily come up with routes through interaction with already existing customer information and systems for billing.

These meter readers have solved the problem of gauge readers having to travel many miles to the said location to get indicator reading. The system saves money through efficient and effective reading of meter, it has reduced the liability and riskiness of meter readers from entering homes and other private properties.