smart meters, its all a con for energy companies to spy on us right? they still visit

PollySouthend

ollski wrote: »

It's sending your meter readings but it doesn't know which appliances are using it at what times (yet), that would need 2 way communication. Things turn themselves on and off and run on timers etc so it's not giving anything away apart from how much energy you use to receive an accurate bill. The neighbours / councils cctv pointing through your window and uploading pics through a (wireless) network will reveal much more about your habits.

If someone has access to hundreds of thousands of homes they can tell what ones are empty and easily enough work out the routine for when people are in for the rest.

Andy_WSM

macman wrote: »

In which case, they'e still halved their meter reading costs. Millions saved.

Only millions saved, if you ignore the billions spent on providing smart meters.

Oh hang on...They won't be the ones paying for smart meters, we will! Looks like you were right, THEY will save millions, we will spend billions saving it for them!

The whole smart meter thing is crazy IMO, the industry hasn't got it together to provide a standard and full compatibility between providers. It's pathetic really.

PollySouthend

macman wrote: »

In which case, they'e still halved their meter reading costs. Millions saved.

Not at all, the cost to install and maintain all of them is very high. Doubt they would break even in decades if the only saving was meter readers.

Probably sucking up tax payers money from somewhere to install them.

PollySouthend

Andy_WSM wrote: »

Only millions saved, if you ignore the billions spent on providing smart meters.

Oh hang on...They won't be the ones paying for smart meters, we will! Looks like you were right, THEY will save millions, we will spend billions saving it for them!

The whole smart meter thing is crazy IMO, the industry hasn't got it together to provide a standard and full compatibility between providers. It's pathetic really.

Oh we are paying for them, what a surprise... The energy companies win and the fitters win. We loose.

KTF

PollySouthend wrote: »

So because we are one of the most spied on countries in the world it doesn't matter how much more we are spied on?

But they are not spying on you. The whole idea of the smart meter is to report back the usage automatically. If you see this as 'spying' then how else do you suggest they do this?

As has been seen from various threads on here, the old fashioned 'manual' of sending them the reading yourself doesnt really work.

KTF

PollySouthend wrote: »

Oh we are paying for them, what a surprise... The energy companies win and the fitters win. We loose.

You think the old fashioned meters are provided for free? Just because you don't pay for one to be installed and read every now and again doesn't mean there is no cost for doing so, its all costed in to the price you pay for the energy you use.

PollySouthend

KTF wrote: »

But they are not spying on you. The whole idea of the smart meter is to report back the usage automatically. If you see this as 'spying' then how else do you suggest they do this?

As has been seen from various threads on here, the old fashioned 'manual' of sending them the reading yourself doesnt really work.

People that don't check their estimates regularly against actual usage are pretty stupid to be shocked one day that they have over / under paid. Even a 5 year old can compare numbers.

PollySouthend

KTF wrote: »

You think the old fashioned meters are provided for free? Just because you don't pay for one to be installed and read every now and again doesn't mean there is no cost for doing so, its all costed in to the price you pay for the energy you use.

The old fashioned ones cost a fraction of the price and have a low maintenance cost, they don't need a sim card.

Anyway they are talking about binning perfectly good meters to put in the new technology.

KTF

PollySouthend wrote: »

People that don't check their estimates regularly against actual usage are pretty stupid to be shocked one day that they have over / under paid. Even a 5 year old can compare numbers.

Have a browse on this forum and be amazed how how many 'stupid' people there are

The energy industry doesn't like dealing with the results of people not sending back accurate readings, moaning to their call centre staff about 'bill shock', etc. so thinks up a way to sort it (smart metering).

Yet even this seemingly isnt good enough for the great unwashed they think this is some conspiracy to 'spy' on them instead.

So either way the energy company is on a hiding to nothing.

Joyful

Smart meters will save the suppliers in many ways. One of the biggest will be where prepayment meters are concerned. They will no longer have to send engineers to move meters for the disabled as there will be no reason to access the meters to top up. If someone also needs money added to their meters they will be able to do it remotely rather than sending someone out to action this.