British Gas anyone with smart meter?

SwanJon

PollySouthend wrote: »

They give suppliers a great deal of control of your energy. In the future they could just change the law and disconnect you remotely without applying to a court or could throttle your enegy allowance when there are shortages to help them not bother upgrading the grid. Also if your sensitive to radiation, you can never turn the thing off unlike mobiles or wifi. They also cost a couple of pounds more a year in energy usage.

Also you loose anonymity as G4s use advanced mining technology to determine your lifestyle and if you forget to tick the box this data will be sold on.

But hey look into it yourself.

Polly, I'm hoping to look into this myself, but it looks like you have a headstart.

Could you point me to where you found out about the data mining by G4S (I thought different comapnies were involved, so how would they get the info?)
The same with the cost to run? How much gas does a smart gas meter use each day? or electricity meter?
The details of the meters that gives them the functionality to 'throttle' use?

As to changing the law, I suppose that is the risk we take with all aspects of our lives, not sure we can single out Smart meters for that.

dude89

PollySouthend wrote: »

They give suppliers a great deal of control of your energy. In the future they could just change the law and disconnect you remotely without applying to a court.

So for this to happen an elected government would have to change the law to allow this - not the energy companies - and if this were to happen it would save money to all customers that would normally be passed on due the cost of debt collection, warrant obtaining and warrant enforcement.

or could throttle your enegy allowance when there are shortages to help them not bother upgrading the grid.

From what I have read, the only thing remotely like this that could happen in the distant future is different prices applied depending on the time of day (much like E7 at the moment) so cheaper energy at night and more expensive energy due at peak times.

Also if your sensitive to radiation, you can never turn the thing off unlike mobiles or wifi.

Ive not seen how much additional radiation smart meters would produce and to what extent it would spread away from the meter. I can also not find any definitive information on this - just the usual from the conspiracy theorists. if you have definitive information on the radiation output please share with your source.


They also cost a couple of pounds more a year in energy usage.

Again what is your source on this and how does it compare to current running costs of current meters

Also you loose anonymity as G4s use advanced mining technology to determine your lifestyle and if you forget to tick the box this data will be sold on.

Smart meters can only tell when energy is being used not what it is being used for. So basically they can tell that I am doing something but they don't know what.

But hey look into it yourself.

I've also read about the security issues relating to criminals knowing your habits but again I don't see how this can be an issue when all they would need to do is watch me.

Its also been widely documented about the cost of the smart meter roll out. What I would like to know on this point is:

1. How much does a meter replacement cost the supplier at the moment at the end of its certified life?
2. What is the average lifespan of meters at the moment?
3. What is the anticipated lifespan of smart meters?

PollySouthend

All the data is publicly out there, I'm just stating the facts.

G4S Utility Services (G4S) begins 2013 as the leading provider of utility meter reading services in the UK with the announcement it has been named as preferred bidder to manage the national meter portfolio for British Gas.

http://www.g4s.com/en/Investors/News%20Events%20and%20Presentations/Announcements/2013/01/16/British%20Gas%20Contract%20Win/

Normal electric meters are 2w, smart meters are between 10-20w.

PollySouthend

dude89 wrote: »

I've also read about the security issues relating to criminals knowing your habits but again I don't see how this can be an issue when all they would need to do is watch me.

Its also been widely documented about the cost of the smart meter roll out. What I would like to know on this point is:

1. How much does a meter replacement cost the supplier at the moment at the end of its certified life?
2. What is the average lifespan of meters at the moment?
3. What is the anticipated lifespan of smart meters?

You clearly dont understand centeralised databases and mining.

Well look into it and get back to us here.

PollySouthend

sacsquacco wrote: »

You may as well get one now because eventually all will have to have them. dont believe the rubbish about wifi and remote cutting off by foreign powers etc. The monitor is in a different league from energy monitors, showing very accurate kwhr/cash use per hour/day/week/month.
The only drawback is if you switch from British Gas it stops being a "smart meter "

Lets face it, your a meter reader and about as credible as a spotty teenager working in the vodafone shop saying its "all rubbish about using mobiles could be dangerous".

I'm going to go out on a limb and presume you have no qualifications in science, engineering or law else you wouldn't be a meter reader.

Some people raise concerns over things and suggest people look into it, others just arrogantly say its all fine and any concerns are rubbish.

SwanJon

PollySouthend wrote: »

All the data is publicly out there, I'm just stating the facts.

No one has said it isn't, we are just asking for help finding it. It seems a bit petty to make others search for it when you have already found it.

PollySouthend wrote: »

http://www.g4s.com/en/Investors/News%20Events%20and%20Presentations/Announcements/2013/01/16/British%20Gas%20Contract%20Win/

Can't see anything there about data mining to determine lifestyle, or anything that says they are allowed to sell any of thedata. Could you point it out? (e.g. which paragraph)

PollySouthend wrote: »

Normal electric meters are 2w, smart meters are between 10-20w.

This is good, although you don't mention gas.
Again, could you show me where you found this?

PollySouthend

SwanJon wrote: »

No one has said it isn't, we are just asking for help finding it. It seems a bit petty to make others search for it when you have already found it.

Can't see anything there about data mining to determine lifestyle, or anything that says they are allowed to sell any of thedata. Could you point it out? (e.g. which paragraph)

This is good, although you don't mention gas.
Again, could you show me where you found this?

I'm not doing your job for you. Try googling yourself.

Its a novel idea, but why don't you try to alleviate my concerns? Rather than just be passive aggressive.

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

PollySouthend wrote: »

Lets face it, your a meter reader and about as credible as a spotty teenager working in the vodafone shop saying its "all rubbish about using mobiles could be dangerous".

I'm going to go out on a limb and presume you have no qualifications in science, engineering or law else you wouldn't be a meter reader.

Some people raise concerns over things and suggest people look into it, others just arrogantly say its all fine and any concerns are rubbish.

You po-faced condescending ****.

I'm willing to trust a meter reader when it comes to meters more than you. I'm also willing to guess given the horrendous spelling in your posts that you've no qualification in English.

I know someone who has an honours degree in Biochemistry, an MBA and now earns £20k a year doing something he loves. He'd love to hear your pearls of wisdom on how you can judge people's qualifications based on their job title.

PollySouthend

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays wrote: »

You po-faced condescending ****.

I'm willing to trust a meter reader when it comes to meters more than you. I'm also willing to guess given the horrendous spelling in your posts that you've no qualification in English.

I know someone who has an honours degree in Biochemistry, an MBA and now earns £20k a year doing something he loves. He'd love to hear your pearls of wisdom on how you can judge people's qualifications based on their job title.

You failed to read what I said.

The difference is, i'm not calling all concerns "rubbish" and arrogantly saying I no better than everyone else. I'm just raising concerns that I have and for people to look into it and make their own mind, not blindly rubbishing everyone that doesn't agree with me.

Some people raise concerns over things and suggest people look into it, others just arrogantly say its all fine and any concerns are rubbish.

penrhyn

I guess Polly is back from Balcombe and has time on their hands.