Unmetered

Unmetered is a term used to describe a service arrangement in which consumption is not measured for billing. It implies that charges are not tied to the amount used, as with metered services where cost depends on quantity. In unmetered pricing, access is often provided under a fixed rate, flat fee, or time-bound package rather than per-unit usage.

Common contexts include utilities in housing where some properties charge a fixed monthly rate for water or electricity regardless of actual usage, or municipal programs such as street lighting that bill by property rather than by measured consumption. In networking and telecom, unmetered denotes access within a defined network, campus, or plan where data use is not billed per unit; however, limits, caps, or fair-use policies may still apply to manage capacity and quality of service.

Pricing in unmetered arrangements tends to be simpler and more predictable for customers, while shifting cost risk to providers or cross-subsidizing high-use customers. It can reduce administrative complexity and provide budgeting clarity but may lessen economic incentives for conservation if consumption is not reflected in price. Regulatory and policy contexts vary, with some jurisdictions using unmetered designs to support affordability, reliability, or service availability.

In practice, unmetered does not guarantee unlimited resources. There may be caps, throttling, or service-level restrictions, and the exact meaning depends on the sector, contract, and local regulation.