Economy 7????

lohr500

DullGreyGuy said:

Jonboy_1984 said:

Gerry1 said:

Most unlikely that RTS will be switched off after 31 March 2024.  The contract has been extended several times and it will almost certainly be extended again: discussions are ongoing.

The issue with the RTS service is it apparently piggybacks off a unique system that relies on analogue valves that haven’t been manufactured for several decades, and they are apparently down to 2 spare valves, at some point an extension won’t be possible.

If its like a former client of mine... at least one engineer will have spotted the problem before and will be sitting on a couple of spare valves hoping its their retirement fund when the company suddenly needs a replacement. 

I'm sure it is more complicated than I imagine to make replacement valves, but surely if there was a will, there would be a way? 

Is it perhaps an excuse so the BBC can dismantle all the masts and other paraphernalia that are part of the long wave service?

My money says if such a valve was needed for some form of criminal activity, then the underworld would have cobbled something together in a shed in a matter of days, or weeks.

That being said, it is antiquated technology and if the smart meter roll out had been done effectively then there wouldn't be a need for the RTS system to continue.  

Ildhund

EssexHebridean said:

Ildhund said:

EssexHebridean said:
... significant issues around accurate readings ... 

I meant "it means that people ... actually get accurate bills with the current meter models  

Sorry. It's hard work being an old pedant with highly developed OCD. I just didn't make your association between accurate readings and accurate bills. Of course, a bill won't be accurate if the readings it's based on are inaccurate. I was disputing the allegation of widespread meter inaccuracy - imprecision, if you like. Even the surprising cases @QrizB referred to don't IMO involve inaccuracy. Faults, yes, but inaccuracy, no.

Qyburn

lohr500 said:
 

I'm sure it is more complicated than I imagine to make replacement valves, but surely if there was a will, there would be a way? 

You may recall it was something like 14 years ago it was reported that only 10 valves of this sort existed in the whole world. Then later it was reported that the BBC had acquired every one that was available in the world.  A few people on here have commented that they're "sure" replacements could be made, but have never explained why they know so much better than the BBC or OFGEM.

Scot_39

To be fair anythng could "probably" be made - at a cost - but given the nature - possibly also with a need to exempt from modern standards.

Its a question of will and money - and there is no will - so there is no money. 

The original govt mandate for full smart roll out was originally set to be met many years ago - 2019 iirc.  The revised one going the same way.

With current target not full but 75% homes by end of 2025 (and that probably only being achieved by the accelerated rate of RTS replacements to meet the now yet again failed target for those too)

And here we are 14 years after the smets 1 roll out started in 2011 (according to gov uk documents ) - still struggling in the 60-70% range and 10% of them are faulty in some way - minor or major.

Germany went mandatory this year - at least in the law passed c2023 under previous govt - 20% taget for this year with a 95% roll out target by 2030 - I suspect they stand a pretty decent chance of making it.  As long as they dont follow UK.

lohr500

Qyburn said:

lohr500 said:
 

I'm sure it is more complicated than I imagine to make replacement valves, but surely if there was a will, there would be a way? 

You may recall it was something like 14 years ago it was reported that only 10 valves of this sort existed in the whole world. Then later it was reported that the BBC had acquired every one that was available in the world.  A few people on here have commented that they're "sure" replacements could be made, but have never explained why they know so much better than the BBC or OFGEM.

Again, I'm assuming it will be because both the BBC and Ofgem have a vested interest in not getting any new valves manufactured.

BBC because analogue broadcasting is probably something they would like to be out of.
Ofgem because their preferred solution is to transition everyone to Smart Meters.

Several years ago I was more than happy to swap our old RTS controlled Eco7 setup for a Smart Meter.
It opened the door to a raft of TOU type tariffs that were previously unavailable to us.

debitcardmayhem

I am not sure that OFCOM, would take kindly to OFGEM mandating something that falls within their remit.

QrizB

lohr500 said:

Qyburn said:

lohr500 said:
 

I'm sure it is more complicated than I imagine to make replacement valves, but surely if there was a will, there would be a way? 

You may recall it was something like 14 years ago it was reported that only 10 valves of this sort existed in the whole world. Then later it was reported that the BBC had acquired every one that was available in the world.  A few people on here have commented that they're "sure" replacements could be made, but have never explained why they know so much better than the BBC or OFGEM.

Again, I'm assuming it will be because both the BBC and Ofgem have a vested interest in not getting any new valves manufactured.
BBC because analogue broadcasting is probably something they would like to be out of.

I imagine the BBC would be happy to continue with R4 LW if OFCOM would let them bump up the licence fee to cover the costs of replacing and operating a 500kW AM transmitter for the benefit of the few people still listening.

And OFGEM could expand the DCC's mandate and budget to include a 198 kHz network for the remaining 200k RTS meters.

But in both cases, the costs have been deemed to outweigh the benefits.