What 15 Years Of AMI Experience Has Taught Utilities

By Penny Cannon, Kamstrup North America

After 15 years of large-scale advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) deployments, water utilities have moved beyond evaluating flashy features and are instead focused on one critical question: can they trust their AMI systems for the long haul? Drawing on interviews with utilities across North America, this article explores how years of real-world experience have reshaped expectations for modern AMI solutions.

Rather than demanding more data or additional functionality, utilities are looking for proven reliability. They expect durable hardware, accurate measurements, resilient communication networks, software that simplifies operations, and vendors committed to supporting systems throughout their entire lifecycle. The article highlights firsthand perspectives from utilities that have transitioned from early AMI deployments to more mature systems, demonstrating how dependable infrastructure translates into better leak detection, stronger customer service, improved operational efficiency, and greater confidence in decision-making.

Readers will learn why long-term performance matters more than specifications on paper, how high-quality data enables actionable insights, and why thoughtful network design and responsive customer support have become essential factors in vendor selection. As utilities plan their next generation of AMI investments, the conversation has shifted from asking whether the technology works to determining whether it can reliably support operations for decades to come. Discover the five expectations shaping the future of AMI and why trust—not technology alone—is now the industry's most valuable metric for success.