Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI)

Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) is seen as the modernisation of the electric, Gas and water metering infrastructure to one that is more connected. This is the use of smart meters and other communication solution combine as as part of one network infrastructure to allow data from from customers' premises to the utility and visa versa.  Often times the upgrade to advanced metering represents the starting point for a broader set of smart grid initiatives, such as distribution automation.

The installation of an advance metering infrastructure will require the collaboration of many solutions provider such as telecommunication (both wired and wireless), networking and specialist software solutions provider such as data management solutions. Also, there might be the need for specially trained staff to analyse the data collected from across the infrastructure.

An advance meter infrastructure will require set-up of smart solid state meters (electric, gas and water) at the customer site.  These meters are configured to collect service usage at timely bases and  transmit the collected data through commonly available fixed networks such as the customer home broadband, Power Line Communications (PLC),public networks (e.g., landline, cellular, paging) and  Fixed Radio Frequency (RF) networks. The meter data are received by the AMI host system and sent to the Meter Data Management System (MDMS) that manages data storage and analysis to provide the information in useful form to the utility.