Bulb - Smart Meter can't be fixed. True or false?

Searcher2

For over a year I have been complaining to Bulb that my Smart meters have not been sending readings automatically to them.  At one point they said they had sent an engineer out but I know they didn't as I checked my CCTV for the date they said they sent them.  They have been pretty useless - all they seemed to say its that I can take readings manually, but one property is 120 miles round trip away as it is a holiday let and this is not ideal.  Eventually they said I could complain to the Ombudsman if I wanted to.  I did this and Bulb are now claiming  "Both properties are experiencing connection issues. As they are in the north, we are unable to do anything about this, as they carry out a self-reboot. We would hope that signal improves soon, but can't guarantee a date."  The meter company are the Data Communications Company but they say on their website that I cannot communicate with them and I have to go via my provider.

Why would living in the North mean that they can't fix my meters?  Both meters used to send the readings fine but haven't done for a long time.  They seem to be claiming that the signal where I live is the issue - but that seems highly unlikely as my mother lives on the same road as me and hers send readings fine.  I'm asking because I have a short time to add to my complaint with the Ombudsman.

GenieBoy

Energy companies are forced to get as many people as possible to take up smart meters so they can reach their government set targets. Once the meter is installed that is it. They have done their part and there is no incentive/money in it to come back out to fix or replace a faulty smart meter.

And the "North" comment must have been said by some London centric yuppie who thinks the North is a desolate no go zone.

p00hsticks

GenieBoy said:

And the "North" comment must have been said by some London centric yuppie who thinks the North is a desolate no go zone.

That may depend on exactly where in the north they were referring to 
Smart meter roll-out stopped in Yorkshire over ‘interference with nuclear warning system’ | Evening Standard

Searcher2

Well, the meters are in Blackburn and Windermere.  I find it hard to believe something that did work can't be fixed, even if it means replacing with a new one.

MattMattMattUK

Searcher2 said:

Well, the meters are in Blackburn and Windermere.  I find it hard to believe something that did work can't be fixed, even if it means replacing with a new one.

It could but there are complications, the biggest of which will be that Bulb has been in special administration for more than a year and is currently being integrated into Octopus, on top of that there is also a shortage of meters. As it is just a comms issue, the meter still works for the purpose of measuring energy usage, then it will be far from a priority. Once Bulb customers are fully integrated into Octopus they may be able to get it resynced via the DCC which could solve the problem, or they may choose to replace the meter. However it is worth keeping in mind that a comms issue is still not going to be a priority. 

Searcher2

MattMattMattUK said:

Searcher2 said:

Well, the meters are in Blackburn and Windermere.  I find it hard to believe something that did work can't be fixed, even if it means replacing with a new one.

It could but there are complications, the biggest of which will be that Bulb has been in special administration for more than a year and is currently being integrated into Octopus, on top of that there is also a shortage of meters. As it is just a comms issue, the meter still works for the purpose of measuring energy usage, then it will be far from a priority. Once Bulb customers are fully integrated into Octopus they may be able to get it resynced via the DCC which could solve the problem, or they may choose to replace the meter. However it is worth keeping in mind that a comms issue is still not going to be a priority. 

Thanks.  I appreciate it is not a priority - I reported the first issue in July 21 so think they have had ample time to sort it.  I was waiting to move to Octopus in the hope that they would be able to sort it, however that still hasn't happened - and I wonder if the fact my smart meters don't work has something to do with it because both my partner and my mum's meters do work and have both been converted over. 

It was Bulb who invited me to complain to the Ombudsman.  Since then they have been wanting me to pay a lump sum of £600 which one account is in debit by despite the fact Bulb have been setting the monthly payments and Bulb have been estimating the readings. I have suggested it is not my fault the account is in debit but theirs and that they just put the monthly payments up but they aren't having any of it saying my account it 'at huge risk'.

[Deleted User]

Smart meters in the North use a different communications provider to those in the Central and Southern regions:

Arqiva uses a UHF radio connection rather than 2G mobile. There have been NIMBY problems getting planning permission in some areas for UHF relay masts. There have also been issues with smart metering where there are High Intensity Radar transmissions; eg, Fylingdales; that said, I thought these issues had been resolved with modified comms hubs. Clearly, if there are network communication issues then there is nothing that any supplier can do to resolve the problem. Resolution is a matter for The DCC which is not a consumer-facing organisation: The DCC is also responsible for all communications hubs.

MattMattMattUK

Searcher2 said:

MattMattMattUK said:

Searcher2 said:

Well, the meters are in Blackburn and Windermere.  I find it hard to believe something that did work can't be fixed, even if it means replacing with a new one.

It could but there are complications, the biggest of which will be that Bulb has been in special administration for more than a year and is currently being integrated into Octopus, on top of that there is also a shortage of meters. As it is just a comms issue, the meter still works for the purpose of measuring energy usage, then it will be far from a priority. Once Bulb customers are fully integrated into Octopus they may be able to get it resynced via the DCC which could solve the problem, or they may choose to replace the meter. However it is worth keeping in mind that a comms issue is still not going to be a priority. 

Thanks.  I appreciate it is not a priority - I reported the first issue in July 21 so think they have had ample time to sort it.  I was waiting to move to Octopus in the hope that they would be able to sort it, however that still hasn't happened - and I wonder if the fact my smart meters don't work has something to do with it because both my partner and my mum's meters do work and have both been converted over. 

Octopus are still integrating Bulb customers into their systems, I would give them a bit longer to get things fully processed behind the scenes. There were a few articles about problems with DCC and that is delaying Octopus completing the integration fully. Whilst nominally Octopus are responsible for getting your meter working they have very little control, comms issues are almost entirely caused by the DCC unless there is an equipment failure. Also as your smart meters do work, they are just not smart, that makes them far less of a priority. 

Searcher2 said:

It was Bulb who invited me to complain to the Ombudsman.  Since then they have been wanting me to pay a lump sum of £600 which one account is in debit by despite the fact Bulb have been setting the monthly payments and Bulb have been estimating the readings. I have suggested it is not my fault the account is in debit but theirs and that they just put the monthly payments up but they aren't having any of it saying my account it 'at huge risk'.

Have you been submitting meter readings whilst the smart meter or are you on estimated bills? Have you submitted a reading to bring your account up to date? If your account is £600 in debt it might be a good idea to bring it up to date, then set the monthly payments at the right level to cover ongoing usage. 

Searcher2

[Deleted User] said:

Smart meters in the North use a different communications provider to those in the Central and Southern regions:

Arqiva uses a UHF radio connection rather than 2G mobile. There have been NIMBY problems getting planning permission in some areas for UHF relay masts. There have also been issues with smart metering where there are High Intensity Radar transmissions; eg, Fylingdales; that said, I thought these issues had been resolved with modified comms hubs. Clearly, if there are network communication issues then there is nothing that any supplier can do to resolve the problem. Resolution is a matter for The DCC which is not a consumer-facing organisation: The DCC is also responsible for all communications hubs.

I can understand that it could be potentially an issue with the signal in my area but my mum is about 100m up the road from me and hers works fine.  In fact mine is in a plastic box on the outer wall of my house and hers is within her brick built house, so I would have thought that mine should be able to receive signals better

EssexHebridean

On the issue with reading the meter in the holiday let - can the person who "turns" it for you in between bookings not take the readings for you? 

[Deleted User]

Searcher2 said:

ŶDolor said:

Smart meters in the North use a different communications provider to those in the Central and Southern regions:

Arqiva uses a UHF radio connection rather than 2G mobile. There have been NIMBY problems getting planning permission in some areas for UHF relay masts. There have also been issues with smart metering where there are High Intensity Radar transmissions; eg, Fylingdales; that said, I thought these issues had been resolved with modified comms hubs. Clearly, if there are network communication issues then there is nothing that any supplier can do to resolve the problem. Resolution is a matter for The DCC which is not a consumer-facing organisation: The DCC is also responsible for all communications hubs.

I can understand that it could be potentially an issue with the signal in my area but my mum is about 100m up the road from me and hers works fine.  In fact mine is in a plastic box on the outer wall of my house and hers is within her brick built house, so I would have thought that mine should be able to receive signals better

UHF transmission is ‘line of sight’ so any obstructions; hills, trees, buildings etc can reduce the effective range of c.40 miles max at ground level to not a lot.