Stop Smart Meters!

Carrot007

GingerBob wrote: »

Maybe I'm missing something, but I can't see how a smart meter would stop someone bypassing it. That is, teeing off from the cable on the supply side of the meter.

They are newer and more advanced and have detectors that see when something is up and report it back to the supplier.

This can be done on "dumb" meters but bypassers can easily deny access to meters for a long time and smart meters will call home at least once a month and report this at the same time.

System

Carrot007 wrote: »

They are newer and more advanced and have detectors that see when something is up and report it back to the supplier.

This can be done on "dumb" meters but bypassers can easily deny access to meters for a long time and smart meters will call home at least once a month and report this at the same time.

GCHQ had to intervene earlier this year to improve UK smart meter security. Rest assured, the hackers will eventually hack these meters. As one commentator put it recently' those that have the technical knowledge do not yet have the motivation: those who have the motivation, do not yet have the technical knowledge'

http://www.greentechmedia.com/%20articles/%20read/%20fbi-finds-smart-meter-hacking-surprisingly-easy

fierystormcloud

Robisere wrote: »

There appear to be Pro's and Cons. For me, the fact that the roll-out will cost £11billion, and will have to be paid for by consumers, is the biggest objection. In current circumstances, after Brexit I believe we may be in for a tough few years. I have been asked if I am interested by EDF, to which I originally said "yes". Now I am not so sure. But it does appear that no householder can be made to accept a Smart Meter. I urge evryone to keep a close eye on this.

EDIT: I forgot to say that I carry out a meter reading myself every 2 months in the better (?!) weather, every month in the cold months. I send this to EDF via their excellent website.

Well that's good news that no household will be expected to accept a smart meter, because I have no intention of having one.

I pay by direct debit, and like you, I ring my reading through for gas AND electric every couple of months, and have never ever had any issue, and certainly never been in debt. At the end of the winter, (late April-ish,) I am usually £20-40 in credit, and at the end of the summer (around mid October, I am usually £50-£60 in credit.)

If you've changed your mind about having a smart meter, I think it's simple enough for you to just ring EDF and tell them.

System

fierystormcloud wrote: »

Well that's good news that no household will be expected to accept a smart meter, because I have no intention of having one.

I pay by direct debit, and like you, I ring my reading through for gas AND electric every couple of months, and have never ever had any issue, and certainly never been in debt. At the end of the winter, (late April-ish,) I am usually £20-40 in credit, and at the end of the summer (around mid October, I am usually £50-£60 in credit.)

If you've changed your mind about having a smart meter, I think it's simple enough for you to just ring EDF and tell them.

Sadly, I think that the latest CMA report into the energy market has let the proverbial 'cat out of the bag' in that DECC proposes to introduce legislation to force suppliers to install smart meters from mid 2018 onwards. This appears to be a 'clever' way of getting consumers to accept them as suppliers already have the legal right to exchange a meter.

My worry is that the real risks have been under-assessed and are rarely talked about: (from an IOD report last year)

Meanwhile others, including GCHQ have expressed major concern over cybersecurity. Many argue that the security dimension was mistakenly not designed in at the beginning but bolted on at a later date. A hacked smart meter would not just reveal when a homeowner was in or out, or enable a tech-savvy consumer to falsify readings, it would ultimately be able to control the off-switch. One million meters suddenly switching off power either because of dormant Trojan horse code installed by a disgruntled OEM employee or due to an attack on a utility, would do huge damage to the national grid.

[Deleted User]

OK Gingerbob, I will once again relay my experience with over 8 years of BG smart meters being installed.So far, I have not found one smart meter bypassed and I ve not heard of any from my colleagues neither.Of course they can be bypassed, especially by those who know what they re doing, the big cannabis farmers will definitely do it. You may not know yourself how ludicrously easy it is to get free energy from todays ancient old prepayment meters but it is simplicity.Smart meters have built in sensors to stop bypassing both on gas and electric meters.
I m discounting the hacking rubbish as something that Stopsmartmeters are always banging on about.Why would a hacker want to prat about with hacking someones gas meter for gods sake when your router would be a much more lucrative target.There s no money in hacking my leccy meter neither , I will give them permission to hack mine if they want. Its not a legitimate fear, neither are the threats of disconnections if the suppliers or the DNOs have to shut off supply.My street had two or three black outs last year, we all copped for it smart or dumb meters. France, Spain, Italy, Ireland etc don`t have any fears of cyber security.

System

[QUOTE=._France,_Spain,_Italy,_Ireland_etc_don`t_have_any_fears_of_cyber_security.[/QUOTE]

I am not sure that the Government of Malta agrees with you.

http://www.smartgridnews.com/story/maltas-smart-meter-scandal-41-million-worth-electricity-stolen/2014-02-18

fierystormcloud

Hengus wrote: »

Sadly, I think that the latest CMA report into the energy market has let the proverbial 'cat out of the bag' in that DECC proposes to introduce legislation to force suppliers to install smart meters from mid 2018 onwards. This appears to be a 'clever' way of getting consumers to accept them as suppliers already have the legal right to exchange a meter.

My worry is that the real risks have been under-assessed and are rarely talked about: (from an IOD report last year)

Meanwhile others, including GCHQ have expressed major concern over cybersecurity. Many argue that the security dimension was mistakenly not designed in at the beginning but bolted on at a later date. A hacked smart meter would not just reveal when a homeowner was in or out, or enable a tech-savvy consumer to falsify readings, it would ultimately be able to control the off-switch. One million meters suddenly switching off power either because of dormant Trojan horse code installed by a disgruntled OEM employee or due to an attack on a utility, would do huge damage to the national grid.

Hengus wrote: »

I am not sure that the Government of Malta agrees with you.

http://www.smartgridnews.com/story/maltas-smart-meter-scandal-41-million-worth-electricity-stolen/2014-02-18

Sounds an absolute nightmare. I shall dig my heels in and refuse one as long as humanly possible!

[Deleted User]

Hengus wrote: »

I am not sure that the Government of Malta agrees with you.

http://www.smartgridnews.com/story/maltas-smart-meter-scandal-41-million-worth-electricity-stolen/2014-02-18

I must admit that does sound bad but it also sounds like a very sophisticated scam needing expensive equipment .My people who fiddle can be complete illiterates but they can manage with a pennys worth of insulated wire or a screwdriver to end up with free energy.
Its not just the fiddlers tho its it the people who take up an account with no intention of paying and they will keep it up for as long as it takes a supplier to get a warrant and locksmith on the job , and that could be several years with such slow and lazy suppliers such as Utility Warehouse. Is nt it a vast improvement to spot this thief in their tracks when they get to ,say, £300 owed or less and switch the meter to prepayment mode .

GingerBob_3

sacsquacco wrote: »

OK Gingerbob, I will once again relay my experience with over 8 years of BG smart meters being installed.So far, I have not found one smart meter bypassed and I ve not heard of any from my colleagues neither.Of course they can be bypassed, especially by those who know what they re doing, the big cannabis farmers will definitely do it. You may not know yourself how ludicrously easy it is to get free energy from todays ancient old prepayment meters but it is simplicity.Smart meters have built in sensors to stop bypassing both on gas and electric meters.
I m discounting the hacking rubbish as something that Stopsmartmeters are always banging on about.Why would a hacker want to prat about with hacking someones gas meter for gods sake when your router would be a much more lucrative target.There s no money in hacking my leccy meter neither , I will give them permission to hack mine if they want. Its not a legitimate fear, neither are the threats of disconnections if the suppliers or the DNOs have to shut off supply.My street had two or three black outs last year, we all copped for it smart or dumb meters. France, Spain, Italy, Ireland etc don`t have any fears of cyber security.

Sorry, but I don't buy it. If you tee off from the supplier side of the meter how can the smart meter possibly detect it? (BTW, I'm not talking about interfering with the meter itself, I mean breaking into the cable).

[Deleted User]

GingerBob wrote: »

Sorry, but I don't buy it. If you tee off from the supplier side of the meter how can the smart meter possibly detect it? (BTW, I'm not talking about interfering with the meter itself, I mean breaking into the cable).

Its unbelievably dangerous to tap into the electricity cables direct and only the pro s would attempt it, like the big cannabis farmers . Many people will meet their maker if they try that method. Its fraught with danger unlike at the electric prepayment meter itself where the makers of the old meters have actually made it so simple they have provided spare holes to insert their bridging wires so there is less risk. These meters are ridiculously easy to obtain free electricity and the prepayment gas meters are also pretty simple to breach. Better meters are much needed and smart meters are the answer.