Shell Energy Smart Meters

DSFT

I’m with Shell Energy and have had a smart meter installed. It just dies not work. Others in my area TW2 postcode have had the same problem. One of the issues is that Shell Energy will not own the problem and blame their IT communications supplier, so as well as non-functioning meters there is no customer support. Have others had this problem and do they know how to resolve it. I have initiated a complaint which I expect will go to the ombudsman. 

[Deleted User]

DSFT said:

I’m with Shell Energy and have had a smart meter installed. It just dies not work. Others in my area TW2 postcode have had the same problem. One of the issues is that Shell Energy will not own the problem and blame their IT communications supplier, so as well as non-functioning meters there is no customer support. Have others had this problem and do they know how to resolve it. I have initiated a complaint which I expect will go to the ombudsman. 

I assume that your new meters are SMETS2 compliant? When you say ‘does not work’ I hope that you are not talking about the In House Display?  This connects to the smart meter Home Area Network independent of any communications provider.

The communications supplier for all SMETS2 meters in your postcode is Telefonica (O2) which is contracted to The Data Communications Company - a private company run by Capita. No supplier has a dedicated mobile communications provider. Are the O2 mobile masts in your area online?

Are your meters recording usage?  If so, you can pass manual readings until the problem is resolved. Setting up smart meters is not a simple process as to pull data from your meters, your supplier has to send out security certificates to both meters. These certificates - which are changed periodically - inform the meter that any request has come from the nominated supplier. To recover your data, the supplier then has to use a secure and sophisticated piece of software known as an Adaptor. The Adaptor communicates with The DCC onward to your meter comms hub.

All that said, only your supplier can resolve your smart meter problems so keep pressing them for a response/action.  Escalating a problem to The Energy Ombudsman will get you nowhere as the ‘system’ accepts that there is a myriad of technical problems with the SMETS2 smart meter rollout.

https://octopus.energy/blog/solving-smart-meter-issues-octopus-energy/

PS. You can check whether your smart meters are sending out data by signing up for a N3rgy.com account. You will need your MPAN from a bill and the GUID number on the bottom of your IHD. Use the ‘I am a consumer’ link. If data shows, then the problem sits firmly with your supplier’s backend systems. 

HermanG

Was that ever resolved? I too got smart meters from shell in February, the gas meter is correctly showing up in my account and the pricing on the in-home display was updated with the recent price hike.
the electricity meter however is not connected to my account and the in-home display still shows old pricing. Shell has not issued an invoice for two months, so I don’t know where I stand. They keep telling me that “they are on it”

bmbm365

HermanG said:

Was that ever resolved? I too got smart meters from shell in February, the gas meter is correctly showing up in my account and the pricing on the in-home display was updated with the recent price hike.
the electricity meter however is not connected to my account and the in-home display still shows old pricing. Shell has not issued an invoice for two months, so I don’t know where I stand. They keep telling me that “they are on it”

Both Electric and gas doesn't work for me. Just got an email saying they are working hard to get this resolved and its a complicated issue so they cant give me any timescales as to when this will be fixed. disgraceful. 

[Deleted User]

bmbm365 said:

HermanG said:

Was that ever resolved? I too got smart meters from shell in February, the gas meter is correctly showing up in my account and the pricing on the in-home display was updated with the recent price hike.
the electricity meter however is not connected to my account and the in-home display still shows old pricing. Shell has not issued an invoice for two months, so I don’t know where I stand. They keep telling me that “they are on it”

Both Electric and gas doesn't work for me. Just got an email saying they are working hard to get this resolved and its a complicated issue so they cant give me any timescales as to when this will be fixed. disgraceful. 

Disgraceful?  Before you direct your ire at the supplier you need to bear in mind that the DCC is responsible for all communications hubs and the network, and individual meter and device (IHD) manufacturers design; build and certify their own meters/devices with the DCC. They also design and certify firmware updates. 

The only thing that suppliers own (in some cases lease)  is the secure Adapter software that connects their IT system to the DCC network. It follows that when things go awry, suppliers can only apply pressure on the other entities involved. When my electricity meter stopped sending 30 minute data on a data pull, it took the meter manufacturer 7 months to deploy a fix.

The disgraceful bit is that the Government failed to adopt a much simpler system of smart metering; eg, the French LINKY system.

demonbane62

mine does not work, not worked for 6 months, and given up. as soon as there is an option ill be changing

Dale2868

My smart display has never shown use in £’s. Shell told me they where looking to fix the issue but 5 months plus later nothing.  It shows display in energy units but not in money.  Waste of time changing meters.