On Wed, 18 Dec 2013 19:38:22 -0500, wrote:

Do you think the utility is reading a smart meter from the home
office, remotely? Don't think so...unless something is special.

No reason they can't (except some money). The city I used to live in
was converting over to a "smart grid" that was part of their
cable/Internet system. It would have eliminated meter readers
completely (they had been doing it with the truck up and down the
street, as you suggest, for years).

I stand corrected (was looking at my gas meter wireless gadget).

Q. What is a smart meter?

A. Smart meters are digital devices that collect energy-use data and,
unlike traditional meters, transmit and receive data, too. Electric
energy use will be recorded every 15 minutes to provide an accurate
view of your daily energy patterns.

local utility FAQ