Current pilots and deployments in Texas, California, and Pennsylvania represent more than 21 million contracted endpoints, and have helped to drive the smart meter base in America from less than 2 million in 2007 to nearly 20 million by the end of 2010. The next wave of smart meter deployments will be driven by a similar 'push from above' as more than $4.3 billion in smart grid ARRA funding is spent over the next three years.

While the breakneck pace of smart meter deployment will slow after 2013, IDC Energy Insights forecasts that US smart meter installations will surpass 80 million by 2015 as utilities will find a business case to replace aging AMR and drive-by systems and as demand begins to grow for HAN and remote load-control functionality.

Itron and Landis+Gyr dominated the US meter market in 2010, combining to account for more than 60% of total installations. Landis+Gyr commanded more than 50% of the 2010 Muni and Coop markets, while Itron (> 40%) and Sensus (nearly 20%) lead in major IOU deployments.

Smart Meter communications in the United States continue to be dominated by RF-Mesh based solutions and more than 75% of endpoints installed in 2010 are communicating through mesh networks. Itron's OpenWay solution leapfrogged both Landis+Gyr and start-up darling Silver Spring Networks in 2010 as major deployments at San Diego Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison, and CenterPoint Energy came up to speed.