Shell Energy say I need a Smart Meter - are they OK ?

eastmidsaver

hi ,
i joined Shell Energy about 3 months ago.   i have just got an email from them and they say my current meter will no longer be able to take dual readings as of March 2022, and to consider installing a smart meter which they can do for me.
i appreciate March 2022 is some way off,  and unsure whether the reading issue will be just for Shell, or for any supplier i choose to go with. so rather than delay, i am considering getting one installed by them.   
i would just like your thoughts as i read in the past there were issues with smart meters.  have these now been resolved, and are smart meters reliable? 
also, when i switch suppliers in the future,  will the smart meter Shell install for me still work with someone else?
many thanks.

[Deleted User]

All meters installed today are SMETS2 which connect to a central hub known as The Data Communications Company. The supplier connects to this hub and this is where problems can and do occur from time-to-time. That said, that are now 30M smart meters deployed. I believe that your supplier may be referring to the Teleswitch that controls your peak/Offpeak switching. The turn off has already been delayed by 12 months:

Quote: The Radio Teleswitch Service broadcasts alongside the BBC's long wave transmission. This service, which serves up to a million premises according to trade body Energy UK, is due to switch off from April 2023. Unquote

Once this switch is turned off, you will remain on a single tariff rate. My SMETS2 meters have been installed now for nearly 2 years; in your situation, I would go ahead with the installation.

Oneye12

We also have had email from SSE in a similar vein.

It would appear there is no urgency given the dates above.
In fact the only point I would raise is we are promised dual tariff after smart meter install.

eastmidsaver

thanks.   i will look to get something booked in,  as it does seem to have benefits.  plus will save me having to go outside in the winters to take the readings.

[Deleted User]

Oneye12 said:

We also have had email from SSE in a similar vein.

It would appear there is no urgency given the dates above.
In fact the only point I would raise is we are promised dual tariff after smart meter install.

SMETS 2 meters have 4 registers each with 48 by 30 minute usage recording per day. Most suppliers use 2 registers for an E7 type tariff: however, Octopus ignores the meter readings and it uses the 30 minute usage data to raise a statement. I suspect that Octopus way will become the norm as it is the way that smart metering was designed to work.

BEIS is already trialling a time of use tariff comparison tool. This tool looks at the actual profile of your usage and overlays it against all the tariffs on offer. You might think that you are on the cheapest tariff with Supplier A; however, the tool should be able to tell you that a tariff from Supplier B might actually be cheaper. The tariff might, for example, offer a slightly increased Offpeak rate but with a cheaper peak rate. Only your actual usage profile can provide this level of granularity. In sum, the days of entering kWhs/year into a PCW will fall into disuse. 

phillw

[Deleted User] said:
BEIS is already trialling a time of use tariff comparison tool. This tool looks at the actual profile of your usage and overlays it against all the tariffs on offer. You might think that you are on the cheapest tariff with Supplier A; however, the tool should be able to tell you that a tariff from Supplier B might actually be cheaper. The tariff might, for example, offer a slightly increased Offpeak rate but with a cheaper peak rate. Only your actual usage profile can provide this level of granularity. In sum, the days of entering kWhs/year into a PCW will fall into disuse. 

I'm hoping someone will do an app that reminds me to do washing at specific times etc.

niktheguru

phillw said:

[Deleted User] said:
BEIS is already trialling a time of use tariff comparison tool. This tool looks at the actual profile of your usage and overlays it against all the tariffs on offer. You might think that you are on the cheapest tariff with Supplier A; however, the tool should be able to tell you that a tariff from Supplier B might actually be cheaper. The tariff might, for example, offer a slightly increased Offpeak rate but with a cheaper peak rate. Only your actual usage profile can provide this level of granularity. In sum, the days of entering kWhs/year into a PCW will fall into disuse. 

I'm hoping someone will do an app that reminds me to do washing at specific times etc.

isn't that the calendar function on your phone