Requesting Smart Metre?

[Deleted User]

buglawton wrote: »

Trouble is, anyone getting a smart meter installed now gets one that will only ever work with one supplier. Once you switch to a new supplied it becomes a dumb meter.

What is in fact needed is a genuine 'unlocked' smart meter that allows the consumer to hop from supplier to supplier at will, while retaining all smart features.

Ain't gonna happen anytime soon in the UK since clearly the big 4 are lobbying hard and successfully to make it seem insurmountably difficult/expensive. Something which Tory MP Adam Afriyie kind of neglected to mention in his article (link see above).

Looks like just as with the GSM system that enabled one phone to switch networks at the flip of a SIM, we'll have to wait for some EU agency to invent the standard first, then any manufacturer can sell cheap and secure smart meters and the excuses for not fitting them will evaporate.

Advice to OP: Don't bother for now.

Smart switching will work, problem is most suppliers are dragging their feet as if set in concrete in getting the roll out underway. BG are now in their sixth year of getting them installed whilst the foreigners like EDF, EON, Npower Scot Power have`nt even got going ( in my area ).First Utility are the only ones I ve seen around so far. I believe the date for complete installation has been set back to 2022. Judging by how hard it is to get some people to open the door at any time, I would set it back to 2032. I ve got several super must reads for Scot Power and EDF where the occupants simply refuse to open the door at any hour up to 8 pm, even tho they are clearly at home in residence. These people ( who will most likely be bypassing ) will need costly warrants and locksmiths to comply.

Andy_WSM

sacsquacco wrote: »

As far as I m aware the cost of the smart meter installation is a 3 way split with consumer, supplier and the local distributor. A figure of £150 has been mentioned in the past on here by insiders split 3 ways.Cost would probably be added to the green energy tax over several years

The consumer ultimately pays it all.

The 3 way split only confuses people into thinking they're not paying the full cost, but ultimately the supplier & distributor are !!!!ing the consumers money up the wall.

[Deleted User]

Andy_WSM wrote: »

The consumer ultimately pays it all.

The 3 way split only confuses people into thinking they're not paying the full cost, but ultimately the supplier & distributor are !!!!ing the consumers money up the wall.

The consumer needs to know the true cost to them of Smart technology. As the suppliers and Distributors benefit by smarts much more than the consumer it would be grossly unfair to lump the cost onto them. I would think smart refusals would sky rocket if this question was asked before installing , "I m fitting a smart meter now at your property, its costing you £150 , is that ok ?

On_Stanley_on

I think in the long run it will save a lot of people a lot of money. IF they can see the usage and the cost beforehand they might think about leaving lights, TVs heating on when they don't need too.

I am astonished with the amount of people who leave lights on in rooms that they only nip in to, or people that leave the TV on playing to itself.

It makes me wonder when I am at work the sun is shining my office is bright and people still put lights on!!

buglawton

sacsquacco wrote: »

Smart switching will work, problem is most suppliers are dragging their feet as if set in concrete in getting the roll out underway. BG are now in their sixth year of getting them installed whilst the foreigners like EDF, EON, Npower Scot Power have`nt even got going ( in my area ).First Utility are the only ones I ve seen around so far. I believe the date for complete installation has been set back to 2022. Judging by how hard it is to get some people to open the door at any time, I would set it back to 2032. I ve got several super must reads for Scot Power and EDF where the occupants simply refuse to open the door at any hour up to 8 pm, even tho they are clearly at home in residence. These people ( who will most likely be bypassing ) will need costly warrants and locksmiths to comply.

But am I right in thinking that a smart meter fitted by BG will only be smart if you stay with them forever?

spiro

buglawton wrote: »

But am I right in thinking that a smart meter fitted by BG will only be smart if you stay with them forever?

I believe the ones they are fitting are SMETS hardware compliant and just need a firmware update to be software compliant. This means they will stay smart once the switching infrastructure is in place.

Terry98

spiro wrote: »

I believe the ones they are fitting are SMETS hardware compliant and just need a firmware update to be software compliant. This means they will stay smart once the switching infrastructure is in place.

That seems to make sense.

I am getting one fitted soon and started to have reservations after reading some of the comments I have read here.

Is there any more information easily available about this?

buglawton

There's a 2nd phase of the specification being discussed at the moment. All clear as mud on Ofgem's site. I did find this:

Smart meters offer a range of benefits for consumers.

• give you near real time information on your energy use – expressed in pounds and pence
• allow you to better manage your energy use (and can thereby help you save money and reduce emissions)
• will mean consumers get accurate bills - you will only be billed for the energy you actually use

Note the complete absence of a mention that it might make switching suppliers easier for consumers in future. Why do our watchdogs have to be the fatcats' pets?

[Deleted User]

buglawton wrote: »

There's a 2nd phase of the specification being discussed at the moment. All clear as mud on Ofgem's site. I did find this:

Smart meters offer a range of benefits for consumers.

• give you near real time information on your energy use – expressed in pounds and pence
• allow you to better manage your energy use (and can thereby help you save money and reduce emissions)
• will mean consumers get accurate bills - you will only be billed for the energy you actually use

Note the complete absence of a mention that it might make switching suppliers easier for consumers in future. Why do our watchdogs have to be the fatcats' pets?

Switching is unlikely ever to be a too speedy process at any time. Ofgem dont like the idea of supplier switching to be too fast a process. 4 weeks is fast enough . There would be problems if people could just flit around with a few days notice

spiro

sacsquacco wrote: »

Switching is unlikely ever to be a too speedy process at any time. Ofgem dont like the idea of supplier switching to be too fast a process. 4 weeks is fast enough . There would be problems if people could just flit around with a few days notice

DECC and OFGEMs target is that by 2018 there will be next day switching although there my be restrictions on how frequently you can switch e.g. not every week.