Abstract:
The smart meter system has added features that enabled the utilities to recover the meter energy
measurement data remotely (GSM) based to mention a few. The system allows monitoring and
transmission of energy consumed in real-time. It calculates the amount of energy consumed
through the multiplication of voltage and current signals. A standard electrical measurement
such as current, voltage, power and energy consumption will be displayed via liquid crystal
display (LCD). The external communication device is required in the actualization of this
project, in-conjunction with the control unit based on the existing mobile technology called
“GSM”. During the collection process of data collected were inadequate due to factors such as
bad weather, constant attacks on operators, inability to correct faults, and other factors that
rendered the system highly inadequate. However, the rapid growth in population and industrial
development has increased the demand for more human operators and longer working hours.
The problem of disconnecting and reconnecting supply by utilities due to unpaid bills is
considered problematic. However, this cannot be achieved if there is no better way of metering;
thus, the need for a smart meter becomes necessary. The smart meter is more reliable and
efficient. It is an improved automatic meter reading (AMR) system.
Description:
In mid-1980s prepaid electricity billing was first introduced. The primary purpose of this
initiative was supplying electricity at an affordable rate to lower income level people. Their
motive was to extend the electricity connection in not only the poor urban area but also in the
far poor rural areas (Tewari & Shah, 2003). Some studies tried to find out the consumer
perception and adaptability on the prepaid metering system (Quayson-Dadzie, 2012). Its aim
was to determine the level of consumer adaptability towards prepaid electricity billing in
Accra West Region of ECG. It also analyzed the factors considered by the consumers before
adopting prepayment process by using a descriptive model of research design. It took a
sample size of 391 from the 18000 consumers of a district. The finding of the study approves
the existence of some factors considered by consumers and those play a vital role in accepting
and using the prepaid billing system. The response of employees and clients to the transition
of service from postpaid to prepaid electricity bill payment was studied in the West Kenya
region (Miyogo, Nyanamba, & Nyangweso, 2013). Several models have been used in
previous researches to determine user acceptance and usage behavior. The Technology
Acceptance Model (TAM) was developed in a research (Davis, 1989) which is actually based
on the research (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1977). According to this model Behavioral Intentions (BI)
can be predicted by two variables named perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Here
some variables have been considered as exterior which influence perceived usefulness such as
design characteristics, user characteristics, task characteristics, nature of the device or
implementation process, political influence, organizational structure etc. Other researchers
included some other variables as extra such as self-efficacy, prior usage and experience,
objective usability, and user characteristics. Another research has found that there is a direct
relationship between perceived usefulness and BI (Davis, Bagozzi, & Warshaw, 1989). This
study discussed as other studies (Sheppard, Hartwick, & Warshaw, 1988).