The technology of the electronic hand-held device keeps expanding as utilities look for more efficient, productive, and economical ways to read meters. Automatic meter reading (AMR) is being accomplished today by using telephone, cable TV, radio frequency, and power line carrier to automatically read meters. Although AMR will be the meter reading technology of the future, AMR will not be the answer for every utility. Installation time and costs along with operating costs of an AMR system will make it prohibitive for some utilities. For these basic but obviously impacting reasons, the author suggests the Solid State Interrogator II (SSI-II) hand held meter reading device will be the answer to automate the meter reading process.