My address can't have a smart meter - how to access off peak deals

muzzie2

Hi Does anyone know of a way of getting off peak deals when they live at an address that cannot have a smart meter? Due to poor signal strength (WAN) I think.

I live in a village in the Yorkshire where most houses have smart meters, but I seem to be just out of reach. The company supplying the smart meters (Arqiva) hasn't got it's act together, unlike the different supplier in the Southern half of the UK.

It's SO frustrating seeing off-peak deals being offered, including cheap Sunday rates, when I cannot get the benefit through no fault of my own.

Any suggestions?

Netexporter

Get the smart meter and see if it works. Otherwise you won't be able to access ToU tariffs. Even if the new meter can't connect, at least you'll have a meter that is within its certification which you can read as normal.

If the meter can't bet a signal, initially, it will help identify the not-spots, so that they can be fixed. If you do nothing they won't know.

Keep_pedalling

You don’t live near RAF Flyingdales do you?

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/smart-energy-meter-yorkshire-nuclear-weapons-raf-fylingdales-b983058.html

muzzie2

Not near Flyingdales, but at the bottom of a steep hill which seems to be the problem!

Netexporter… I can't get anyone to even come out and fit a smart meter. My present and previous suppliers (including Octopus and British Gas) check the address and just say no.

Hence my frustration at being unable to benefit from the discounts!

I

MWT

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81967154#Comment_81967154

How is your mobile phone reception there?

… who is your current supplier?

QrizB

Hi Does anyone know of a way of getting off peak deals when they live at an address that cannot have a smart meter? Due to poor signal strength (WAN) I think.

Which supplier are you ith? And who specifically has said that you can't have one?

Your smart meter installer should have a couple of other options if the LRR signal isn't strong enough:

• Will they fit a cellular comms hub instead?
• And if that's still not good enough, can they add an external antenna?

Netexporter

Also, if some people, locally, have working smart meters then yours might be able to join a local network with the other meters to get your readings out.

Reed_Richards

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81967163#Comment_81967163

A cellular comms hub should be an option. I don't think that a cellular comms hub with an external antenna is an available option in the north of England. It certainly wasn't last year.

Your only other hope is a comms hub attached to the meter by a flying lead. I believe lead lengths up to about 1.2 m are available and that gives you some flexibility to position the comms hub for best reception. Unfortunately your installer will have no equipment that can measure the LRR reception so positioning the comms hub is entirely down to trial and error. I spent about £90 and bought my own equipment.

la531983

Its all well and good suggesting these fixes if no supplier will say yes anyway to start with, surely.

Scot_39

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6664623/my-address-cant-have-a-smart-meter-how-to-access-off-peak-deals

Any idea of cellular strength in the area - if is OK - try asking your supplier for a vodafone 4G cellular network comms hub instead of arqiva LRR ?

Edit : Or maybe an old 2g/3g if the O2 signal OK - as a temporary stop gap ( 2g/3g switchoff and rollover to 4g due by 2033 nationwide - some areas even sooner - one was extended 6m this year iirc). No that's apparently not going to work form June 2026.

As far as I know they are now allowed anywhere in old LRR reserved areas from last summer

I haven't seen any definitive specs or pictures - but there were posts on some suppliers forums and even here iirc - several months ago - maybe even late 2024 - suggesting hybrid cellular fallback for Arqiva lrr models - for N and Scotland LRR areas - so people in weak Arqiva llrr signal areas if no connection - the hubs would then try cellular.

Not sure if they would just fit 4G instead now approved for those areas though.

Rodders53

NB Arqiva don't supply the meters that is the energy supply companies. Arqiva just operate the Long Range Radio signal system used in the North.

I presume you have zero terrestrial TV signals and poor / non-existent mobile phone connectivity as well at the bottom of your hill? Because that last might preclude using the South-style comms hubs (on Vodafone 4G nowadays?)

Who is your electricity supplier. Have you asked them recently to fit a smart meter? Have you opened a COMPLAINT with them if told 'no'? A complaint often concentrates the minds of the supplier Customer Service staff.

Ditto for asking to go onto a E7 type tariff with a new dual register meter… dumb or smart. Have you complained? Multiple register meters can be manually read and those readings given to a supplier. {Albeit with a major risk or register transpositions.} Mind. you probably won't be able to access those special 'Time Of Use' tariffs you seem to be lusting after.

I've worked out that for my use of energy I'm better off with a fixed rate rather than my supplier (Octopus)'s TOU tariff rates for day/night. So the grass may not be quite as green as you imagine anyway.