On 12/10/2016 5:22 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> On 12/10/2016 3:09 AM, S Viemeister wrote:
>> On 12/9/2016 10:07 PM, Ophelia wrote:
>>
>>> I see meters outside here too.
>>>
>> Our meter is just outside the kitchen door, but the consumer unit/'fuse
>> box' is in a cupboard inside the house.
>> The electric company rarely reads it, though. I send in a reading every
>> quarter; if I'm not here at meter-reading time, they estimate my usage.
>
> These days meters can be read by a car driving up the street. Newer
> ones can be read by a computer at an office. Eventually your supplier
> will probably upgrade to 1980's technology.

The house is quite some distance from the road, and the meter is on the
side opposite the road, so not likely to be readable by a car driving by.
I understand that some meters use SIM cards to communicate with the
supplier, but mobile/cell service is spotty up here in the wilderness.
If the need for remotely-readable meters causes mobile services to be
improved, I'd be very pleased.