Gas monitoring system using a random phase multiple access system

A gas meter comprising:

• a monitor configured to:
• monitor a gas service;
• and
• provide monitor data based upon the monitoring of the gas service;
• and
• a transmit apparatus comprising:
• a pseudo-noise (PN) spreader configured to receive a data stream comprising the monitor data and spread the data stream with a common PN code, wherein the common PN code is used by a plurality of nodes in communication with an access point;
• a delay module configured to generate a randomly selected timing offset for the spread data stream;
• and
• a transmitter configured to transmit the spread data stream at a first time based on a slot start time and a first randomly selected timing offset, wherein the spread data stream is transmitted while at least a portion of a second spread data stream is transmitted, wherein the second spread data stream is spread with the common PN code, and wherein the second spread data stream is transmitted at a second time based on the slot start time and a second randomly selected timing offset.