switching to British Gas - timescales and type of smart meters

livinka

Hi, I'm considering switching to British Gas via MSE Energy Club; my e.on fixed tariff ends in about 2 weeks. How long does the provider switch take? How long after switch do they install smart meters? Do they now install SMETS2 meters for everyone? Thank you!

Robin9

Your fix with Eon will continue until the transfer to BG is complete (subject, I believe, to you not being in debt to Eon). Transfer should be complete in 3/4 weeks.

Sorry can't help re installation of Smart meter timescale or SMETS1 or 2.

JJ_Egan

Start the switch now you have 42 days before the end of the contract .

mac.d

Generally switches take a few weeks, and at least a fortnight (Ofgem's average switching time).

If you are switching to a tariff that requires smart meters, it probably depends on how busy they are and if they are currently working on installing smart meters in your area. Doubt even the companies themselves can tell you when they will get round to it and if its a SMETS2 meter.

livinka

Thank you, I knew about the 49-day rule. My current tariff with e.on (ending 29 Jan) is cheaper than any fixed tariff that MSE energy club shows, including BG, so I wasn't in a rush. I'm in credit with e.on and I've just completed the switch request, but was just curious whether BG smart meters were SMETS2. I don't understand why there's no info/transparency about this one.

[Deleted User]

British Gas are fitting SMETS1 which are supposed to be able to be upgraded to SMETS2 over the air later this year. That will be the E470 Landis and Gyr electric meters. Others on here say this is not possible despite what the meter manufacturers say.
We won t know for sure until reports come in of earlier SMETS1 which have gone dumb on a switch suddenly regain smart operation
Be aware that if you are a regular switcher in search of the lowest rates these Landis and Gyr meters will have to switched again when any small suppliers take over. Virtually all of the smaller suppliers are buying the much cheaper Indian made Secure Liberty meters..

Scatty

My SMETS 1 hasn't regained smart operation yet. BG sent me an email saying they could see I had smart meters but they weren't compatible. Um BG installed them Aug 2016! I've to phone them.

MeterMan

Scatty wrote: »

My SMETS 1 hasn't regained smart operation yet. BG sent me an email saying they could see I had smart meters but they weren't compatible. Um BG installed them Aug 2016! I've to phone them.

If your comms hub (little box next to the meter with three lights on it) has an orange WAN light, then its simply a case of reactivating the sim card.

thorganby

Houbara wrote: »

British Gas are fitting SMETS1 which are supposed to be able to be upgraded to SMETS2 over the air later this year.

Incorrect, you have obviously never read the SMETS1 and SMETS2 specifications or simply do not understand their contents and are showing your ignorance.

Please explain why the industry has agreed a SMETS1 installation cut off date then, if they all can be "upgraded to SMETS2 over the air" as you naively state.

That will be the E470 Landis and Gyr electric meters. Others on here say this is not possible despite what the meter manufacturers say.
We won t know for sure until reports come in of earlier SMETS1 which have gone dumb on a switch suddenly regain smart operation

Some old obsolete SMETS1 meters may well be able to communicate with the DCC via new interface that will provide supplier interoperability for obsolete meters but they will receive no mythical "software update" to transform them into SMETS2 meters!. If fact they will be kept totally isolated from SMETS2 meters for security and new software will be required at the DCC to communicate with the various different types of obsolete SMETS1 meters.

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