Itron Inc. has announced the commercial availability of MC3, a portable drive-by meter reading system for advanced automated meter reading (AMR) functionality.

The latest addition to Itron’s ChoiceConnect suite of AMR solutions, the MC3 has the ability to read up to 10,000 electricity, gas and water meters per minute, far exceeding the read performance for any other mobile AMR system on the market. Powered by Itron’s new SRead radio technology, the MC3 increases read performance and reliability by simultaneously listening for ERT signals across 80 channels within the 900 MHz spread spectrum. In addition, SRead’s multi-channel architecture and advanced antenna design enable the MC3 to isolate and slice through RF “noise” and interference to ensure optimal reading performance in difficult RF environments where other systems are operating in the same band.

The MC3 also features an advanced mapping application to further optimize read performance. The GPS Mapping System provides the operator with immediate visual representation of endpoint locations and read confirmation. This virtually eliminates the need for time consuming re-reads or collecting skipped reads, thereby reducing meter reading times and fuel consumption, and improving worker productivity.

The MC3 introduces advanced AMR features such as mobile demand reset with Eka Systems EkaNet Mobile platform in combination with Itron’s CENTRON Polyphase meter. This enables utilities to use the MC3 to perform real-time mobile demand reset functions while returning up to 50 register read items, including time-of-use (TOU), as part of a regular drive-by meter reading route. This means utilities can leverage the value of the MC3 system across an even broader segment of their customer base.