During a battery operation of a smart metering counter (11), which is equipped with a consumption sensor (14) and a transmission clock generator (17) for a wireless module (19) for transmitting consumption data packets (20), a check is carried out in the event of a conspicuously reduced remaining capacity of the battery (21) in order to determine whether the data packets (20) can thus also be transmitted as previously over the remaining time period up to the routine battery change at the end of the specified operating period. If not, the transmission level of the data packets (20) for exampleis reduced and/or the transmission clock (27) thereof is extended over the remaining runtime. This determination together with control specifications are preferably encountered in the concentrator (13) and transmitted to the counter (11) by means of bidirectionally operating wireless modules (19) in order to not have to provide the required computing capacity in each individual counter (11) of thecoverage area.