Smart Meters

fifthofwhisky

This is a long thread! I'm planning to switch from my current dual fuel supplier for a small but worthwhile saving in the near future. My current supplier keeps pestering me about a smart meter, which I do not want. Can I switch to another and avoid a smart meter? I have no interest in providing data - which is far more than just kWH consumed (e.g. data which can be derived such as type and brand of devices in the household, social data, etc.), 

carl.waring

Smart meters collect only readings; nothing else. Anyone who says otherwise is lying.

matelodave

fifthofwhisky said:

This is a long thread! I'm planning to switch from my current dual fuel supplier for a small but worthwhile saving in the near future. My current supplier keeps pestering me about a smart meter, which I do not want. Can I switch to another and avoid a smart meter? I have no interest in providing data - which is far more than just kWH consumed (e.g. data which can be derived such as type and brand of devices in the household, social data, etc.), 

Your mobile phone and everything else that you use on the internet is squirt all sorts of data all round the world to anyone who wants to collect it. Including your location, who you phone and when, what and when you are watching stuff on the telly, not forgetting all the ISPs and websites that you visit as well as any other info that you are daft enough to divulge.

By contrast, a smart meter only collects the consumption readings and sends them back to the energy provider (via the DCC) for billing. It can't work out what appliance you are using let alone what type or brand you are using. 

On top of all that a mobile phone is either frying your brain whilst in use or irradiating your gonads when it's in your pocket, something smart meters cant do.

I think I know which is safer and more secure.

Gerry1

carl.waring said:

Smart meters collect only readings; nothing else. Anyone who says otherwise is lying.

Totally WRONG.

If you had bothered to read the official specifications you'd know that Load Limiting (Rationing), Remote Disconnection (Load Shedding) and Time of Use tariffs are all built in.  It's all part of Demand Side Response which means that how much you're allowed to use and when you are allowed to use it will be determined by your smart meter.  When the smart meter says NO - tough luck !

None so blind as those who will not see.

And of course it's all totally secure.  Just like the oil pipeline in the USA that was shut down by hackers, the Irish health system that's been shut down by ransomware.  And good luck paying with a Santander card today, a massive problem means that Mobile Banking, Online Banking and Telephone Banking are all down, and they say that they do not have any timescale for fixing it.

carl.waring

Well okay. It collects readings and associated data. The point being it does not collect anything like the information fifthofwhisky thinks it does.

And yes, it is as secure as anything possibly can be. No-one’s said it’s perfect. No technology is.

brijanhub

carl.waring said:

Well okay. It collects readings and associated data. The point being it does not collect anything like the information fifthofwhisky thinks it does.

You Keep changing your mind. it’ s too intrusive, it’s not rocket science to read your meter and at least any mistakes should be down to you not the supplier . 

• How much energy you’re using

• When you’re using it

• What you’re using it for

  These are some of the ‘benefits’ of a Smart Meter as advised by OVO, are they lying too?

carl.waring

I have never changed my mind about smart meters. I know exactly what they do and don’t do. All your bullet points are all related to readings.

They still don’t do anything that fifthofwhiskey said they do; and that is all that matters in this case.

But do feel free to be more pedantic if you like 😁

Gerry1

matelodave said:

By contrast, a smart meter only collects the consumption readings and sends them back to the energy provider (via the DCC) for billing. It can't work out what appliance you are using let alone what type or brand you are using.

Oh, really?

Voltaware and Onzo would disagree with you.

As would the NHS...

NHS Health Monitoring Using Smart Meters

Smart Health Monitoring Using the Advance Metering Infrastructure

brijanhub

Amazing that when people start being caught out in their answers they revert to personal remarks!

matelodave

The meter is only recording consumption, it cannot and does not tell the supplier or anyone else what is in use, only that a certain amount of power is being used at a time or during a period of time.

All the stuff that the clever conspiracy theorists think they have unearthed is just a concept based on data manipulation - much like average speed cameras can use the time and distance between points to determine speed and attribute it to a vehicle number plate. However the number plate not only knows who the car belongs to but also the make model and all other data related to the car. Not only that it know where you are and at what time and this info can be used, not only to check your speed, but to establish whether the car is taxed, insured and tested and can help catch you you if you are a "person of interest"

The smart meter data analysis can only guess but not know what appliances are being used and certainly doesn't know the make or model of your cooker or toaster.

Just think of all the identifiable data that your phone and computer are sending out that you seem quite happy to divulge to the world, what is the objection to a gas or leccy meter.