Designed for residential and commercial users, simple, elegant, smart payment systems generate advance cash flow for utilities, eliminate customer debt, reduce fraud risk and lower the costs of meter reading and billing. Utility disconnections are no longer necessary because the consumer has full control over the account, while utility revenue is safeguarded.

There are three types of Itron smart payment meters:

• Keypad meters (ACE9000 Taurus ISP and ACE9000 Taurus ITP) are a one-way communication system whereby data transfer from a Point of Sale is made via a numeric token using Standard Transfer Specification (STS) encryption techniques and protocol.
   
• Smart key meter (ACE9000 KBD) uses two-way communication to provide a highly secure and flexible mechanism for revenue collection, thereby allowing smart payment customers to be managed efficiently and cost-effectively.
   
• Smart card meter attachment (ACE9000 PayGuard) allows utilities to use existing metering installations to reduce the cost of implementing a smart payment system. An effective and low-cost method for two-way communication between the meter and the utility.