While mesh remains the preferred solution in the IOU market, PLC, or power-line communications, has historically dominated the electric cooperative market. Despite recent gains by Sensus' RF-Tower based offering and RF-Mesh solutions provided by Tantalus and Elster, this trend continued as PLC captured more than 50% of the Coop market in 2010. Aclara maintained a narrow lead over Cooper Power Systems and Landis+Gyr's TS2 solution in 2010 deployments of PLC at US cooperatives.

The Smart Grid Investment Grant program launched by EISA and furthered by ARRA has given tremendous momentum to the US Smart Meter industry. Much about the marketplace however, remains uncertain and will be determined in the next 5-10 years.

* How will low-capacity PLC networks hold-up as HAN's begin to place demands on bandwidth?

* What effect will grassroots concern over electromagnetic radiation have on wireless deployments?