Have just been offered a smart meter - should I accept?

StopIt

bargainbetty wrote: »

I was also offered one, but upon checking, I was told that it would only be of use while I stayed with my current provider. The call rep was unable to tell me if there would be a charge for removing it later if I chose to switch suppliers. I refused their kind offer on that basis.

Check that fact carefully, as a removal fee may make it very difficult to switch later to save money.

There's no such thing as a removal fee. The meter will simply not report to the new provider. The Hub Box will still work for usage however.

brewerdave wrote: »

...and if you are elderly and infirm, then its a "Hotel California" situation ..because using most of these phase 1 smart meters (SMETS 1) as a dumb meter after a switch,requires a very good set of eyes,fast reflexes and (dependent on the location of the meter) a degree of physical mobility!!:(

Or to continue using the Hub box which will still work.


I have a BG branded box for my meter and am current switching from SP. The meter still works fine but the box doesn't report to SP.

brewerdave

StopIt wrote: »

There's no such thing as a removal fee. The meter will simply not report to the new provider. The Hub Box will still work for usage however.

Or to continue using the Hub box which will still work.


I have a BG branded box for my meter and am current switching from SP. The meter still works fine but the box doesn't report to SP.

...not what others have reported - the remote devices are useless once you switch provider, you have to manually extract data from the meters which is reportedly not easy!!:)

EachPenny

McKneff wrote: »

Sometimes you just need a reminder though. To do it every and not be complacent

A timer from a pound shop should cost no more than £1. And can be used for a lot more than timing your shower.

EachPenny

brewerdave wrote: »

...not what others have reported - the remote devices are useless once you switch provider, you have to manually extract data from the meters which is reportedly not easy!!:)

Agreed, the consensus seems to be the key bit of data you need from a 'dumb' meter (kWh or m3) is not available from an IHD. So taking meter readings to give to your supplier is a challenge unless the meters are in an accessible location with optimal lighting to read the LCD displays.

worried_jim

SamsReturn wrote: »

When we first started to be told about Smart meters several years ago, i thought ........ I want one of those. But now after reading so much about them i'd say No.
A couple of weeks Paul Lewis, R4 Moneybox did a good story about them if you can catch-up on it.

Effectively don't touch them with a barge pole and wait for the second generation versions to be rolled out in a few years. Even the chap who supervised the change over hasn't got one.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08njlmc

System

SMETS2 second generation meters for you may be at least 10 years until they are installed OP. I work for BG as a meter reader. They have been installing smart meters for many years at probably the fastest of all suppliers and they are still maybe less than 50% complete. My first smart meter I saw was well over 10 years ago. Millions are still needed to be fitted even now .The speed the suppliers are installing them is pathetically slow.. Eon/Scottish Power/EDF have only just started in my area and the micro suppliers can be relied on to do the bare minimum. I would accept a SMETS 1 meters. I ve had mine for many years. They are a fit and forget meter. I have been informed by my management that only a quick cheap "hub " upgrade is needed to satisfy SMETS2 criteria with BG .SMETS2 generation meters are concerned more with paranoid hacking security .I m concerned with hackers on my laptop a lot more, and that has never happened in 14 years. Depends how much of a paranoid you are if you take notice of some of the posters on here who have been won over by StopsmartmetersUK who by the sound of it represent the Cannabis Growers Association who like free electricity to keep their business flowing..There is one in every street in the UK..

System

If I was the OP, I would just sit on my hands and say 'NO':

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/05/millions-smart-meters-may-need-replacing-due-blunder/

As Martin Lewis says:

"The rollout of smart meters has been a c88k up and a catastrophe. Energy firms are now using it as a soft form of trapping people into poor deals as they can't switch providers without their meters going dumb."

More worryingly, the final bill for this ill-judged and mis-managed programme just keeps increasing, and we will all end up paying for it.

EachPenny

If I was the OP I'd now be very confused. On the one hand some posters are saying wait a bit, on the other hand there are contrary views including one suggesting the 'wait a bit' posters are either influenced by, or actually are, cannabis farmers. :think:

For an independent view, the OP might like to take a look at the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee investigation into Smart Metering. There is a link to their website below, but if the OP prefers not to click on links then just google the words "select committee smart meters".

http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/science-and-technology-committee/inquiries/parliament-2015/smart-meters-inquiry-15-16/

MP's are well known for having second jobs, but I think cannabis farming is unlikely to be one of them.

A poster refers to "paranoid hacking security". In taking evidence the Select committe report says -

The Royal Academy of Engineering told us that “the smart meter network is being
installed before its requirements as an Internet-connected energy system have been fully
determined”.
The Academy told us that “the threat of cyber attacks—either to gain information, ‘steal’ electricity or disrupt supply—is real and pressing. [...] Disruption to energy and gas supplies at a massive scale is possible, either from cyber attack or errors in software”.

As far as I know The Royal Academy of Engineering are not known to be, or influenced by, cannabis farmers.

The Committee's report concludes that the involvement of GCHQ in the development process means the security risks are being minimised. The key risk concern is the fact smart meters have the capability of disconnecting your electricity and gas supply remotely (a feature not being widely advertised :silenced:). An attack on one household's meter is probably only going to be a mild inconvenience, though potentially life-threatening in some cases.

What the 'spooks' will be concerned about is a mass attack shutting off and then simultaneously restoring supplies to thousands (perhaps millions) of customers. The resulting power surge could cause catastrophic damage to the National Grid and power stations, as the 1987 storm in southern England very nearly did.

If you think a mass-attack on protected infrastructure is 'paranoia' or science fiction, then google the words "stuxnet iranian centrifuges". If a well resourced nation state is unable to protect its covert nuclear facilites, then what makes anyone think the likes of BG, EON, EdF, SSE et al will be able to protect their metering systems against a determined hacking group? Remember, these are the companies who can barely manage to send customers accurate energy bills.

People with an understanding of cyber security will see the Select Committee's faith in the assurances they have been given as quaint. When it comes to security of technology and hacking it is always a question of 'when' not 'if'. Just the same as it is with terrorism - we cannot stop every attack, one will always get through, and the best we can do is try to minimise the scale and impact when it does happen.

Finally, because of delays to the programme already, and the political imperative to keep to the promised timescale and (already out of control) budget, it is inevitable that some compromises will be made. Rushing to deliver Government projects always leads to mistakes. Rushing a project involving major security considerations has an obvious potential. If you think that is 'paranoia' then you've clearly never read 'Private Eye'.

System

There is a lot of accurate information in the above post. I suggest a read of the the attached link would help people decide on the cost/benefits of smart meters (the last 4 paragraphs in particular):

http://www.nickhunn.com/whats-the-difference-between-sir-philip-green-and-the-gb-smart-metering-program/

Mr Hunn gave evidence to the Select Committee and he is an acknowledged expert in his field. He, and other experts, say that it is not a question of 'if' it is only a question of 'when' smart meters will be attacked. A greater concern now is how the affected firmware in these meters will be updated: the smart meter comms network has not been designed for anything other than incremental firmware updates. The conclusion being that meters that have been disconnected from the Grid may be isolated from the Grid for days, weeks or months depending on the size of any cyber attack.

Time to get back to my cannabis plants.

EachPenny

Hengus wrote: »

Time to get back to my cannabis plants.

Clearly your cannabis plants are affecting your brain, else you would have said:

Hengus wrote: »

There is [STRIKE]a lot of[/STRIKE] 100% accurate information in the above post.