• Configuration management - Meter channels are configured during installation using the Tiny™ software tool running on a laptop computer. Configuration data is transmitted to the MDM central system and then remotely uploaded to DCU regional concentrators.
• Remote download– Meter hardware configurations, Time-Of-Use (TOU) parameters, recording intervals and operation mode are downloaded to the DCU gateway concentrator. 
• Concentrated data readings - Concentrated DCU data is read via the GPRS link.
• Reading data on demand – In CSD mode, on-demand readings provide customer services with real time billing and reading validation data.
• Control on demand – In CSD mode.
• TOU operation mode - Spot™ supports up to four rates, four types of day (work day, Saturday, Sunday and holiday), and up to eight daily time periods. The DCU is uploaded with tariff structure for a 10-year scheduler.
• Load profile – Data loading can be operated at dynamic intervals of 1, 5, 10, 15, 30 and 60 minutes, managed by a FIFO (first in first out) mechanism, starting with a date and time stamp and ending with a full flag in case of memory storage overflow. Memory data is erased with each successful data transaction to the central system. The central system analyzes the accumulated power usage of each meter according to the tariff.
• Real Time Clock (RTC) synchronization – With each DCU communication cycle, the gateway's RTC is checked and synchronized by the MDM, and the NTR end points are checked and synchronized by the DCU.
• Meter reading data analysis– Data is analyzed according to a predefined date window to obtain accumulated readings and meter reading profiles. Meter losses are detected when readings deviate from pre-defined value ranges. Water or gas leaks are detected by data readings in dead hours. Peak demand is determined for a single meter or a central meter connected to a cluster of end point meters.
• Faults alerts with date and time stamp – Alerts are provided for enclosure and meter wiring tampering, hardware faults, sleepy end nodes, unstable power line links and invalid readings.
• Parameters status faults –  At each communication cycle the MDM central system checks parameters files in the DCU concentrator gateways, and the DCU concentrator checks corresponding parameters at the NTR end nodes.
• Prepayment and AMR combination -Spot™ enables combining AMR and prepayment, both supported by STS (Standard Transfer Specification) and by the AMI/AMR structure, which uses two-way powerline communication between the central operation system, end point meters and meter interfaces. The system provides a secure prepayment transaction mode and real time data stream to the central system. The system provides utilities with an important tool for analyzing consumers profile behavior, controlling loss, assistance in forecasting, planning modern DSM (Demand Side Management) profiles and identifying bottlenecks in power distribution. Combining AMR and prepayment provides high level of security for managing a prepayment in the token mode and uploading the transaction credit to the consumer 's meter via the Spot™ network system. Physical access to the meter is unnecessary and meters can be mounted within special cabinets providing full protection against damage and unauthorized access.

Highlights

• Next generation for prepayment mode combined with AMR, replacing prepaid magnetic cards with transaction data uploaded into the meter via the communication system.
• Implementing the STS requirements according to NRS009-6-6,7,8,9.
• Secure prepayment transaction does not require physical access to the meter, so meters can be mounted in protective cabinets.