Smart meters are the visible face of a new ICT infrastructure to improve energy efficiency. They allow electricity consumers playing an active role in the functioning of the electricity markets and distribution networks which are evolving into “Smart Grids”. In the near future metering services will represent the gateway for access to the new “intelligent” grid the “Smart grid”, and will have an important role in managing power demand. There is no doubt of the potential benefits attributed to smart metering systems for different stakeholders:
– End users: increase energy awareness, decrease energy use and energy cost, facilitate a more efficient switching process.
– Metering companies or Distribution System Operators (DSO): decrease meter operation costs.
– Grid operators: prepare their grid for the future. 
–  Energy suppliers: introduce new, customer made, services and reduce call centre costs.
– Governments: reach energy saving & efficiency targets and improve free market processes.Smart metering is a revolutionary development that is radically changing the way electricity markets work and networks are managed