The ISL81483 and ISL81487 present a 1/8 unit load to the RS-485 bus, which allows up to 256 transceivers on the network for large node count systems (e.g., process automation, remote meter reading systems). The 1/4 UL ISL8487 allows up to 128 transceivers on the bus. In a remote utility meter reading system, individual (apartments for example) utility meter readings are routed to a concentrator via an RS-485 network, so the high allowed node count minimizes the number of repeaters required to network all the meters. Data for all meters is then read out from the concentrator via a single access port, or a wireless link.