EV tariff if SMETS2 smart meter cannot connect to supplier...(no 2.5G)

Dulce-ridentem

Hi - I have a fully electric car and really want a tariff that suits it. However, because my home is in an area without 2.5G, although we have a SMETS2 smart meter installed this year, it doesn't work (it can't submit readings).

Is there anything that can be done? When Scottish Power installed the meter we were told they would fit an aerial to make sure the signal would work. But they later said they wouldn't do this.  It is possible we could pay for it ourselves but it's hard to contemplate after the endless hassle we had installing the meter and EV charger (long story).

The Octopus Go Faster tariff or something similar would be excellent for the sort of usage I have, but it looks as if I can't use any tariff that depends on the time of usage. This is a bit unfair on people who live in the countryside! (We got Three and EE mobile phone coverage about 2 years ago but no other providers reach us). We are not totally remote, 15 mins from the MA, we get internet via 4G from EE so there is signal but it isn't the right signal for a smart meter.

Didn't see this issue on any forum, I know most of our neighbours will be in the same position, but maybe it's rare for people not to have coverage. It's yet another case of people in the countryside being second class citizens when it comes to infrastructure. I've considered writing to my MP about the inequality angle, to see if the providers could be pressured to make their meters work, but that isn't going to help very quickly if at all!

Can I go back to Economy 7 (meter was removed about 5 years ago)... even that would be better financially.

[Deleted User]

Your problem is one of basic physics. Depending on where you live, SMETS2 meters use either the Telefonica mobile network (O2) or Arqiva long range radio. Some areas have been designated as MESH areas. Meters connect across the network until a meter is found that has direct communication with the DCC Network. Some suppliers have deployed external aerials which attach to the front of the meter box. None of that is any help if your supplier isn’t interested in offering any help.

Dulce-ridentem

Thanks Dolor. You're quite right it's about physics. Or possibly about Three/EE allowing their networks to run these signals (this is why MP intervention isn't completely bonkers, imo). We have no Telefonica coverage.

There was talk at one time in our 9 month meter-installation process of using MESH, but I am not sure how far apart houses can be for that to work -- we are at the bottom of a hill. We'd need to get a signal to the top of the hill almost a mile away. There is one house in between. We used line of sight radio for internet until recently, when we got the 4G signal, so there are ways to work the physics :-) Thanks for your reply

pensionpawn

[Deleted User] said:

Your problem is one of basic physics. Depending on where you live, SMETS2 meters use either the Telefonica mobile network (O2) or Arqiva long range radio. Some areas have been designated as MESH areas. Meters connect across the network until a meter is found that has direct communication with the DCC Network. Some suppliers have deployed external aerials which attach to the front of the meter box. None of that is any help if your supplier isn’t interested in offering any help.

I live in a large town. I had to have a "smart" meter installed (last July) otherwise I would lose my E7 tariff due to the radio teleswitch being decommissioned (which didn't happen). In June Shell Energy emailed to ask me to start logging my meter readings again as the "smart" meter had gone quiet. Pi$$ up, brewery comes to mind....

Dulce-ridentem

I just spoke to a lovely chap at Octopus who was very helpful but says he doesn't think they can do anything.

He suggests asking Shell what they tried to make my meter work (the official visit to commission  was recorded officially as lasting 2 minutes, 8.04 to 8.06, and they didn't even ring the doorbell, they just decided there was no signal (probably true) and left. So it's possible MESH would work, or a different aerial but we don't know what Shell have considered. So it is back to Shell to see if they will help, although I think they already washed their hands of it. 

[Deleted User]

If Shell will not offer any help, then I would still consider a switch. The new supplier becomes responsible for your smart meters. A new supplier might be more sympathetic to your predicament.

This link gives some idea of what the installer should have done to commission your meters. Note the page which suggests that a SKU2 comms hub may be needed for an external aerial. The DCC is responsible for comms hubs.

https://www.edfenergy.com/sites/default/files/ifaq-migrated-files/1637_smets_2_install_and_leave_-_sku_2_installation_-_final_v1.1.pdf

Dulce-ridentem

Update: After I made a formal complaint through my MP and DBIS, Shell got in touch and had the meter working in under a week. Bonkers. So I now have a working meter - it only took a year!

Fedupwithbeingfobbedoff

Dulce-ridentem said:

Update: After I made a formal complaint through my MP and DBIS, Shell got in touch and had the meter working in under a week. Bonkers. So I now have a working meter - it only took a year!

I have been ringing Octopus daily and they are very polite and tell me the "Network Team" will be in touch to resolve my problem which is as others above. Who is DBIS that you wrote too? I assume the customer cannott contact Shell direct?

Gerry1

Welcome to the forum.

The post to which you responded is 19 months old and the poster is unlikely to see it, having not visited for six months.

If quoting a post that's not very recent, it's better to put an @ symbol before the poster's name to alert them, e.g. @Fedupwithbeingfobbedoff

Best of all, just start a new thread of your own rather than bump up an old one.

• The Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (DBIS) was replaced by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) then later the relevant part was split off to form the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).  I don't know what it's called this week...