A prepaid metering project succeeds or fails on the specification, long before the first container leaves Wenzhou. The meter hardware is only one line in that specification — vending, installation layout and revenue protection matter just as much, and they are the points our utility customers ask about first.
Start with the vending standard. STS, defined by IEC 62055-41 and IEC 62055-51, is the baseline most utilities specify because tokens generated by any STS-compliant vending system work across meter brands. Confirm the utility's vending platform early, including whether tokens will also be sold through third-party channels and mobile money.
Next, the physical layout. Integrated keypad meters suit single dwellings where the meter is within reach. Split meters with a customer interface unit (CIU) keep the metering element locked in a kiosk or pole-top box while tenants enter tokens from indoors — the layout most estates and utilities now prefer, because the part that measures stays out of reach.
Finally, revenue protection: terminal-cover and case-open detection, magnetic-field sensing and a time-stamped event log that survives a power cut. Specify these up front and the meters you roll out will still be protecting revenue a decade from now. If you are drafting a tender or a project specification, send it to us — we will map it to models, ratings and communications options.