Deployment Services
Advanced Metering Deployment: Precision Meets Innovation
Tailored Meter Solutions for Your Utility Operations
Meter installation projects are not “one size fits all” projects—and neither is our approach to meter installation. As a product-independent and vendor-independent company, we can focus on your specific needs and recommend the right equipment for your deployment. We stand ready to support you at any point in your meter upgrade journey. UMS’ approach to meter installation projects is built on our installation teams, our proven processes, procedures, and best practices, and our proprietary work order management system.
Meter upgrade projects involve not just one project but three projects: first, the work of physically changing out old metering equipment for new equipment; second, a technology project to install and integrate new software platforms into current and legacy platforms, and finally, a business transformation project—taking the way your utility operations are being done (or have been done for many years) and completely revolutionizing it. All three of these projects require meticulous expertise.
Confident Deployment with Our Service Features
UMS is known for efficient planning, rapid deployments, the industry’s highest standard of work, and an unmatched ability to coordinate with our clients and their communities. Through our innovation and superior quality of work, strong relationships have been established with the major manufacturers and distributors in the advanced metering field, lending our experience and industry expertise to clients.
While each installation project is uniquely tailored to utilities’ unique needs, some of the key features that UMS provides during deployment services include:
Pre-Site Surveys
We conduct a survey to assess the location and condition of existing meters and infrastructure prior to a mass deployment, helping to ensure the highest quality of work and the most cost-effective approach.
Installation
Our meter installation technicians are the best in the business, with our installers and field service managers averaging between 5-10 years of experience.
Certified Installer
UMS is a Certified Installation Services Provider for all major meter manufacturers. In performing hundreds of installations in partnership with every major manufacturer, we have established close working relationships at all levels of their organizations.
Configuration
Our installation teams have dedicated telemetry technicians who configure your new meters and related components to communicate with your data management system.
System Integration
Our systems integration team is dedicated to integrating your new meters into your utility’s data management system to collect and manage meter data. UMS also, as a standard, will integrate our Mass Meter Change Out File (MMCO) to your billing system to eliminate manual data entry and dramatically reduce errors in your billing system.
Testing
We test your new meters to make sure they are working properly and catch any leaks or short circuits.
Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC)
Our multi-faceted, seven-step QA/QC approach ensures that all aspects of the installation process meet our rigorous quality standards —from checking the source data, to inventory and barcode scanning, to 100% picture verification on all meter installations.
Recycling and Disposal
For those utilities that do not have the internal resources to handle the recycling and disposal of their old meters and endpoints, UMS will store, sort, and transport all old components to a specialized recycling facility.
Unlocking UMS Deployment Benefits
UMS has installed millions of meters nationwide, across all types of conditions and with every major manufacturer. Our deep roots in meter installation have given us hands-on experience with the tools, techniques, and expertise in various meter deployments with different setups in different regions, and an in-depth understanding of what is necessary to do the job right.
As a premier installation company that has installed components from every major manufacturer of meter and technology on the market, we are well versed in their nuances and requirements. We have gone through the rigorous process of becoming a certified installation partner for all the major vendors and manufacturers in the market so we can feel confident that your installation project will be done to the highest degree of quality.
Additionally, our teams are some of the most efficient in the industry—allowing you to complete your project in the shortest amount of time, while never sacrificing quality. This allows you to accelerate your deployment so you can realize the benefits of Advanced Metering sooner.
For utilities that have large commercial and industrial customers, we have a dedicated team dedicated to replacing large meters. Because these installations are typically more complex and time-consuming compared to residential meters, our large meter team can achieve economies of scale by focusing exclusively on commercial and industrial accounts while still providing the highest level of customer service. Our teams work directly with your commercial and industrial accounts to schedule service, planning outages around when it works with your business needs—during nights, weekends, or even holidays to minimize the impact of outages.
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Efficient and Safety-Centric Approach to Meter Installation Projects
UMS’ approach to meter installation projects is built on our installation teams, our proven processes, procedures, best practices, and Xchange – our propriety work order management software platform.
Streamlined Process for Efficient Deployment Services
Our installation members have an average of 5-10 years of meter installation experience which includes quality control, troubleshooting, and situational analyses.
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Collaborative Approach to Deployment Services
We follow proven Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for site arrival and departure, customer notification, meter installation, and quality – ensuring the highest standards of quality and communication are met every step of the way.
Efficient Execution of Deployment Services
Xchange, our proprietary, customizable Work Order Management System, helps make sure projects are completed efficiently, on time, and within budget, while also providing the necessary communication and data for your utility to seamlessly integrate your new system.
Protecting the safety and health of both employees and the community is a top priority. At UMS, our commitment to health and safety goes beyond basic obligations; it is a defining feature of our operations and culture.
Our commitment to a secure and health-conscious workplace begins first with our greatest asset—our employees. Every UMS employee, whether office-based or field-based, must take several safety training courses as part of the onboarding process and complete ongoing safety training.
Our Safety Division is led by an accredited Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) who hold Certified Safety Professional (CSP ®), Graduate Safety Professional (GSP®), and Associate Safety Professional (ASP®) certifications. Our Safety Committee ensures that safety is treated as an integral part of quality control, cost reduction and overall job efficiency.
Deployment Services FAQs
Find answers to common questions about the deployment process, timeline, and customer involvement.
Yes! If you have decided on the technology and equipment you want to use but need an extra hand to help you install and deploy it, we can help you with that task.
It all depends on your needs and preferences. We have worked with utilities that have wanted to have a hands-off approach and have us do the entire project, end to end, and with utilities that want to continue to be involved in meter changeouts and simply use us to supplement their staff. We also offer the option of Metering-as-a-Service with netAMP, where we would handle all aspects of your metering upgrade—from design to implementation to ongoing monitoring - for a fixed monthly fee.
We have worked with numerous utilities to help them assess their current needs and infrastructure and can work with you to help determine the right technology and systems for you and your customers.
When you choose UMS as a trusted partner for your metering upgrade, you are getting the staffing, knowledge, and support that your utility needs, but might not have at hand, to make your metering upgrade project successful.
While there are many common services and tasks involved in every metering upgrade project, every utility’s business needs, infrastructure, finances, staffing, and goals are different. That is why we do not take a “one size fits all” approach to metering upgrades, but we work with you to develop the solution that is right for you.
Custom Solutions for Your Utility
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