Should I get a smart meter?

matelodave

GingerBob wrote: »

See the Which report, referenced earlier.

If people get into trouble because the suppliers don't read meters on a regular basis any more then I blame the suppliers. The only thing that should be made compulsory is for suppliers to read meters every quarter like they used to. And if you want a smart meter you go ahead and get one, but I reserve the right not to have one.

So you can't see any disadvantages then - you just don't want one. That's not much of an argument against them then, is it?

molerat

Of course meter readers always read the meter correctly and don't invent readings if they can't gain access do they

Andy_WSM

matelodave wrote: »

So you can't see any disadvantages then - you just don't want one. That's not much of an argument against them then, is it?

But we don't like change!!!!!

lstar337

The main disadvantage I can see is all the extra tin foil you will need to buy in order to keep your private thoughts adequately shielded from government spies who will be using these meters as nodes for their 'Global Thought Surveillance Network'.

By the time you have read this post I will likely be

GingerBob_3

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays wrote: »

The luddite is out!

Having a bevvy of meter readers out writing down numbers is expensive, and massively outdated. You can resist as long as you like, but at some point it'll be forced on you anyway.

...Grow up!

GingerBob_3

matelodave wrote: »

So you can't see any disadvantages then - you just don't want one. That's not much of an argument against them then, is it?

Like I said, you go ahead and get one when they come available. That's your choice, and I'll be very happy for you. For me, no thanks, I don't want one, and that's a good enough reason for not having one. From my point of view the big disadvantages are the data collection and analysis, coupled with the possibility of remote disconnection - when the provider gets things wrong - oh and they NEVER make mistakes (see hundreds of posts here were people are wrongly threatened with, and in some cases actually are, disconnected)!

The radio frequency transmissions are of no concern.

SailorSam

I think the people who are most worried are those that have fitted a piece of tin foil across the contacts to try and make it run backwards.
Where i use to live my neighbour had a 6" nail in it to stop the wheel going around.

lstar337

SailorSam wrote: »

I think the people who are most worried are those that have fitted a piece of tin foil across the contacts to try and make it run backwards.
Where i use to live my neighbour had a 6" nail in it to stop the wheel going around.

I think this is the big advantage. The sooner I stop paying extra for energy thieves, the better!

Andy_WSM

lstar337 wrote: »

I think this is the big advantage. The sooner I stop paying extra for energy thieves, the better!

You won't get any of it back! It will be declared as extra profits and fed to the fat cats & shareholders.

Not a hope in hell that anti-theft measures will reduce the prices or even stop further increases in the future!

GingerBob_3

Andy_WSM wrote: »

You won't get any of it back! It will be declared as extra profits and fed to the fat cats & shareholders.

Not a hope in hell that anti-theft measures will reduce the prices or even stop further increases in the future!

Correct. And smart meters won't stop bypassing at all. In fact, with far fewer manual inspections needed they could well make the situation worse.