MODULAR METERING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING SAME

The present invention relates to a metering device (1), in particular electricity meter for metering electrical energy, comprising a communication unit enabling node mesh communication between the metering device (1) and at least one further metering device (1). Furthermore, the present invention relates to an AMI System (100) for metering utility consumption, in particular of electrical energy. Moreover, the present invention relates to a communication module (20) comprising a meter interface for connecting the communication module to a metering device (1). Finally, the present invention relates to a method for operating an AMI system (100) comprising metering devices (1). In order to establish an AMI which is flexible and easily adaptable to respective environmental conditions, the present invention provides that by adding a communication module (20) to a metering device (1), the metering device (1) is transformed from being merely a communication mesh node configured for communication with at least one further metering device (1) acting as a mesh node, into a gateway (30) configured to establish an uplink and/or downlink (102) connection within the AMI system (101).