With governments increasingly recognising the need to control energy consumption and reduce wastage and inefficient consumption of vital resources, the requirement to make utilities smart is not only desirable but also the law in many countries. Although the needs of electricity, gas and water utilities are different and highly specific, each utility type requires similar foundational technologies in terms of smart devices, connectivity and data processing capability.

Utilities of all types need to take a lead in deploying smart technologies to minimise wastage in ways that do not damage the customer experience and, instead, enhance customers’ experience with their utility providers. It is possible that, ultimately, utility providers will be able to differentiate their offerings based on the performance and services their smart meters can support. This should be considered as an end goal of smart utility deployments.