Richard (OldStager) Posted October 3, 2023 Author Share Posted October 3, 2023 17 minutes ago, Stuart said: BG have had my arm up my back to have a smart meter fitted. Badgering me regularly about it. And if they're that desperate for me to have one then I reckon it has to be for their benefit not mine...... Are they on commission, these high pressure sales folks, sounds like Capita with the TV licence goons, they get something like £10 a go for getting someone to buy one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard (OldStager) Posted October 3, 2023 Author Share Posted October 3, 2023 31 minutes ago, Stuart Davis (fatblokestu) AO- Devon & Somerset said: I have no issues with smart meters, I just wish the gas would connect. Having the electricity meter connected is a big bonus I think, much more convenient. The little smart meter readout allowed me to see which appliances were using most electricity so I’ve saved a lot from that. For instance, I had no idea our upstairs shower uses around 10kwh, so until we can get that changed we largely use the downstairs shower which uses a lot less. I see a lot of conspiracy theory type comments on another forum I frequent, along the lines that the only people to benefit are the energy companies etc but I don’t see it that way. Likewise, never been a tinfoil hatman, I do read/watch what they have to say, but can usually see the angle they are pushing, without taking the rest of the facts into account, or perhaps they choose to leave them out I don't know?. I can't use less electric than I currently do, seeing the actual reading in real time would just scare me, without having the ability to do anything about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Algar - Competition Secretary Posted October 3, 2023 Share Posted October 3, 2023 I'm now with Octopus as have solar & battery system and they seem to do the best tariffs. Reasonably pleased, certainly better than OVO who just wanted to take massive DD's all the time. Does seem like they have really gown recently and that's bringing problems. The App seems pretty good, but not perfect. My so called smart Gas metre hasn't talked to OVO or Octopus, it's anything but smart. So I just take a reading every month, a bit annoying and hopefully one day it will get sorted. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corsechris Posted October 3, 2023 Share Posted October 3, 2023 Now mine is finally sorted…it’s brilliant. The issues all stem from decisions made by government about how the system has to work. This means the meters in my part of the country rely on 2G….and that network is pretty sketchy these days, and will be turned off in 2033 anyway…so another round of meter seaps. More than anyone would ever want to know on the topic… https://www.smartme.co.uk/smets-2.html I’m fine with a dumb gas meter, only real reason I went with the smart leccy meter was to access tariffs that suited my use. I use the vast majority of grid power at cheap rates. When there’s no sun, the Powerwall charges at night on cheap rates then runs the house during normal rates. I also charge the car at night when there’s no sun during the days. …although the battery is so small it doesn’t take much. There are lots of folk who use some of the dynamic Octopus tariffs and micro-manage their energy import/export to the nth degree. Can’t be arsed personally. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Posted October 3, 2023 Share Posted October 3, 2023 I not a conspiracy theorist it's just the pressure to have one pees me off. I've already got a good handle on our leccy usage (and have reduced it by more than 25%) as I bought one of these a while ago. No gas in my village Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard (OldStager) Posted October 3, 2023 Author Share Posted October 3, 2023 I don't have gas either, the house did have but had the meter removed as I rarely used it ( due to costs) and was sick of having to pay a standing charge for something I neither used or wanted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard (OldStager) Posted October 3, 2023 Author Share Posted October 3, 2023 51 minutes ago, corsechris said: Now mine is finally sorted…it’s brilliant. The issues all stem from decisions made by government about how the system has to work. This means the meters in my part of the country rely on 2G….and that network is pretty sketchy these days, and will be turned off in 2033 anyway…so another round of meter seaps. More than anyone would ever want to know on the topic… https://www.smartme.co.uk/smets-2.html I’m fine with a dumb gas meter, only real reason I went with the smart leccy meter was to access tariffs that suited my use. I use the vast majority of grid power at cheap rates. When there’s no sun, the Powerwall charges at night on cheap rates then runs the house during normal rates. I also charge the car at night when there’s no sun during the days. …although the battery is so small it doesn’t take much. There are lots of folk who use some of the dynamic Octopus tariffs and micro-manage their energy import/export to the nth degree. Can’t be arsed personally. Ok, so are all 2023 smart meters ok when you need to change suppliers then ( not read your link yet) as the next time I get a nag about I may go for it, to be fair it would save me a lot of work, moving furniture around, since the meter is in my dining room, and sciatica makes it hard work sometimes. ETA I have read the link, unless I missed there was no mention about swapping suppliers in the future, I am sure if its fitted to suit your current provider it's fine, but has anyone swapped suppliers on the more recent meters please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard (OldStager) Posted October 3, 2023 Author Share Posted October 3, 2023 Why would other businesses want my data, surely all it should be doing is giving data to the company supplying my electric, ( no tinfoil hat here) just wondering. They say "collecting the data and passing it on to other businesses such as suppliers" ETA also this maybe my problem around here, as well as 2G as Chis mentioned, they state that 3G will be binned off in 2033 too, unless things improve round here that is. My pnone will not connect to 4G, it tries but only lasts a minute or so then goes back to 3G. "The government and UK mobile network operators have agreed to phase out 2G and 3G mobile networks by 2033" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Davis AO - Devon Cornwall & Somerset Posted October 3, 2023 Share Posted October 3, 2023 2 hours ago, Richard (OldStager) said: Why would other businesses want my data, surely all it should be doing is giving data to the company supplying my electric, ( no tinfoil hat here) just wondering. They say "collecting the data and passing it on to other businesses such as suppliers" ETA also this maybe my problem around here, as well as 2G as Chis mentioned, they state that 3G will be binned off in 2033 too, unless things improve round here that is. My pnone will not connect to 4G, it tries but only lasts a minute or so then goes back to 3G. "The government and UK mobile network operators have agreed to phase out 2G and 3G mobile networks by 2033" 2G and 3G will be switched off well before 2033, my understanding is next year. Vodafone say early 2024 here: https://www.vodafone.co.uk/help-and-information/3g-switch-off My assumption on smart meters is that having visibility of useage helps the power companies with planning and managing the network, but I may be wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard (OldStager) Posted October 3, 2023 Author Share Posted October 3, 2023 15 minutes ago, Stuart Davis (fatblokestu) AO- Devon & Somerset said: 2G and 3G will be switched off well before 2033, my understanding is next year. Vodafone say early 2024 here: https://www.vodafone.co.uk/help-and-information/3g-switch-off My assumption on smart meters is that having visibility of useage helps the power companies with planning and managing the network, but I may be wrong. A long as that's all it is, that would make sense, be nice to have a list of who gets your data though wouldn't it?. I don't much care for being spammed by companies I have never heard of selling me a new tumble drier etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corsechris Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 I don’t claim to know the ins & outs, but Vodafone saying they will stop 2G & 3G phone support by 2024 isn’t necessarily the same thing as those frequencies not still being used by smart meters. Ultimately the comms will have to shift to 4G & 5G, but that’ll mean new comms modules…which seems to mean a complete new meter for some reason I fail to see, given the modules are, by design, standard and interchangeable. That article claimed new 4G modules this year, but I’m not that optimistic. In the north of the country they use an entirely different system that seems to have a longer life. I certainly wouldn’t like to say that once you have a SMETS2 meter you can switch suppliers with impunity either, despite the fact you are supposed to be able to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Davis AO - Devon Cornwall & Somerset Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 3 hours ago, corsechris said: I don’t claim to know the ins & outs, but Vodafone saying they will stop 2G & 3G phone support by 2024 isn’t necessarily the same thing as those frequencies not still being used by smart meters. Ultimately the comms will have to shift to 4G & 5G, but that’ll mean new comms modules…which seems to mean a complete new meter for some reason I fail to see, given the modules are, by design, standard and interchangeable. That article claimed new 4G modules this year, but I’m not that optimistic. In the north of the country they use an entirely different system that seems to have a longer life. I certainly wouldn’t like to say that once you have a SMETS2 meter you can switch suppliers with impunity either, despite the fact you are supposed to be able to. Some info here: https://www.sms-plc.com/insights/2g-and-3g-sunset-is-on-the-horizon-what-does-it-mean-for-your-business-energy-meters/#:~:text=How will the 2G and,phasing out of these networks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corsechris Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 Another area that will impacted by the 2G/3G switchoff is telematics, many cars use 3G 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Davis AO - Devon Cornwall & Somerset Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 2 hours ago, corsechris said: Another area that will impacted by the 2G/3G switchoff is telematics, many cars use 3G Yep. Some of my companies older products use 3G so will need upgrades once it is pulled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard (OldStager) Posted October 4, 2023 Author Share Posted October 4, 2023 I have just been up to the shops, around there the phone switches to 4G, but get home ( no more than 1/4 mile) and it goes back to 3G, my area is going to need an upgrade as well, I was on the Wirral for 3 months last year and no where at all was 4G available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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