A smart meter is a digital electricity meter that records usage at regular intervals and sends readings remotely to your retailer, so manual meter reads are usually unnecessary. It can support more detailed bills, faster fault information and time-of-use tariffs, but costs and benefits depend on your retailer, state and plan. Before installation, check whether there are upfront or ongoing charges, how your data is used, and whether your tariff will change. Ask your retailer for the terms in writing, and compare available plans before agreeing.