[asdefghyk]

RE "...ut let's say even $500 for something that lasts 8 years is still much cheaper than sending people to get the readings ..." If a meter is read every 3 months, that is 32 reads in 8 years. That's about $15 a read In my street, it takes a meter reader about 2 minutes max to read , record a meter and walk to next meter. need to allow for overheads, so to me its unknown if it actually is cheaper or not to send a human ???

[lizknope]

A meter read every 3 months? All of my utilities (electricity, natural gas, water) have monthly bills.

[logifail]

> A meter read every 3 months? All of my utilities (electricity, natural gas, water) have monthly bills.

You don't need to read monthly to bill monthly. Our electricity provider used to read yearly, yet we've always paid monthly.

[SAI_Peregrinus]

My gas company has monthly bills, but read the meter annually. They estimate usage other months, you send in any corrections if it's wrong, rnd at the end of the year they read the meter & reconcile any discrepancy.