Smart meters again

[Andrew Gabriel]

BBC Radio 4, You and Yours... Only had half an ear on it, but...

No SMETS2 smart meters before July 2018, more likely 2019 before testing is complete and main roll out starts, or companies risk having to come out again to upgrade them.

Current SMETS1 smart meters can only be fitted until July 2018. Companies have bought and paid for loads of them - rushing to get the old meters installed before they're worthless.

The network for SMETS1 meters is looking to be switched off in

2022. (Is that GPRS?)

Government still thinks SMETS1 meters will be upgraded to SMETS2 via firmware, but this is exceedingly unlikely. Governemt is also still blindly telling the companies to get on with it by the deadline, which is now completely unachievable.

[Andy Burns]

I know they asked before installation if I had good O2 2G signal at the meter's location, not seen any "sunset" dates for UK 2G networks yet, though it's already happening in other parts of the world, and a few european providers have announced 2020.

[Halmyre]

Ah, so that's why I have EDF's number on my 'missed calls' list every day.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Yes- I heard it in the car. And if accurate, sounds an almighty c*ck-up. I've already changed suppliers twice since they've been around.

[Bob Minchin]

OK what what about the information earlier this year that the communication protocol for SMETS1 was deemed insecure by GCHQ/CESG?

Is the conclusion to be drawn that the insecurity will remain in place until 2022 or later?

[Jethro_uk]

And if you hadn't ?

[Andy Burns]

I don't know, because I had. But someone (here?) was saying they were declined smaartmeters in a cellar due to lack of signal, if they paid me a few quid a month I'd let them plug a zigbee gateway onto my LAN to use my broadband ...

[John Rumm]

ISTM they are worthless anyway in the circumstance. So it would be cheaper to simply write them off!

[Bob Minchin]

I'm pretty certain it is the contractual incentives paid to the installers that in turn have underwritten the extra staff/subcontract they have taken to fit however many million meters by the next blue moon that are at the root of the problem. It is all too hard to unwind the contracts (that almost certainly have cancellation penalties written in) and settle compensation claims, paying all the lawyers along the way. I expect that a cold financial analysis shows that it it cheaper to carry on regardless rather than pick up all the cancellation costs as well as paying unemployment to the hoards of fitters.

[Jeff Layman]

I had EDF call a couple of times. I decided to take the call.

EDF: "We have a representative in your area." Me: "I don't want a smart meter" EDF (after long pause): "Can I ask why not?" Me: "They don't work, and I know what I use anyway." EDF: "Thank you."

That was it. I haven't been bothered again.

[Jeff Layman]

I noted recently when investigating switching suppliers that some of the cheapest involved accepting a smart meter.

I'll just have to continue paying over the odds, I guess. I assume that the main reason they give us that smart meters are so good for customers ("they help you see what power is being used, so you have greater control"), is akin to the bullshit about cookies "enhancing your browsing experience".

[Brian Gaff]

Yes left hand of gov not talking to right hand of gov as usual, same thing happens on benefits and nhs of course. In this age of communication, it seems the one thing that is hard is communicating. Brian

[Brian Gaff]

Yes I have an older talking phone. I did think about finding a same model with good case and simply replacing it, but they have been warning about turning off 2g for some time now and so I suppose I'll have to grasp the nettle soon and either get a non talking grotty mobile or a talking smart one that is a whole new ball game. Brian

[David]

O.K.

The savings when we saw how much electricity we were wasting were supposed to pay for the supply and install of a Smart Meter.

Anyone done the numbers on how much we save after the installation of the

3rd or subsequent Smart Meter?

The more we install the more we save, right?

After 10 meter installs they should be paying us, we are saving so much money.

Or did I miss something?

Cheers

Dave R

[Andy Burns]

So they can save money bye sending the meter-reader round less often, since 2011 one of my smartmeters has been read (by a human) once, the other not at all.

[Max Demian]

You don't need a smart meter for that, just the ordinary ones with the spinning disc. "Ooh it's going ever so fast - better turn the lights out and sit in the darkness!"

[Chris Green]

Cookies are *required* for some things! In particular if you want to have anything like a 'connection' such that you can create a shopping basket or similar.

[Chris Green]

... or even hordes (unless the fitters are in your loft).

[Bob Minchin]

Well chris, that is how I first spelled it and it looked wrong so I put in the "a"

Bob

[Andy Burns]

like remembering you've declined their other cookies?

it's possible to embed forms with hidden input fields into a page, or include a query such as &trolley=72945981247508240 in the URL.