Smart meters will be installed along meter reading routes. Deployment, which includes installation not only of smart meters but also of associated communications infrastructure, began in March 2009 in the central Houston area and will move outward until more than 2 million smart meters are installed by mid 2012 .

The deployment schedule was approved by the Public Utility Commission of Texas. In order to follow an efficient deployment process and meet the mandated timeline, deployment will adhere to scheduled routes. While newly constructed homes and buildings will also get digital meters, any digital meters installed outside the scheduled areas will not have the communications infrastructure in place for fully “smart” functioning until meters are scheduled to be deployed for that area.