Smart meters - what is the purpose?

[bluethrunthru]

According to the ads they keep " Gaz and Lekky" under control. How?

I know if I am using too much power. I get a bill. I am told the best way to cut that is to switch supplier. I also know to keep that pesky duo under control I need to become my dad and go round unplugging stuff and turning the heating down. Beyond that the only option is to sit in the cold and dark having switched everything off.

Having spoken to my supplier who contacted me today the best they can come up with is an end to estimated bills. Isn't that something they should have come up with and installed themselves but instead they get all of us to fund whether we have one or not? I asked about possible hacking and whether one would prevent switching supplier and was told there were no recorded hackings having taken place but it cannot be ruled out and yes in some instances if you get one from say E-ON you may not be able to use it with British Gas so will need to arrange British Gas ( with a possible charge to accompany it ) to come and install one of theirs.

All in all looks to me like a scam dressed up as energy efficiency by the suppliers whilst they get on with the important job of ripping us off....

 

[Fred_Quimby]

Waste of time. If you switch supplier they no longer work. The remote let's you see how much fuel you are using at any time so if you have something not working properly you can tell. Some people do not realise how much fuel they use when they leave lights or appliances on all the time. I like to think I am pretty savvy at this sort of thing. Switching things off, switching heating off half an hour before going out or going to bed etc so pretty much only used the smart meter to save me reading it and sending in the reading.

 

[Tuearts right boot]

They've been designed so that some twat reading from a script will keep phoning you up at ridiculous hours just to annoy the crap out of you. Plain and simple.

 

[Hamann Pineapple]

Don't need meter readers I guess

 

[Jalfraag]

Don't need meter readers I guess

Unbelievably they still have them reading smart meters.

 

[TheBlueDune]

Don't need meter readers I guess

This.

Got involved with a project 5 years ago and the business case was built on cutting out the meter readers.

Scaremongering against estimated bills to frighten the illiterati - what's the problem? If you don't like them just phone in a meter reading or do it online. Short of cash? Submit a reading lower than actual

 

[yeseye]

Can you put 10 bob in em?

 

[Fred_Quimby]

They are free by the way. Big com really. Energy companies were allowed to increase rates to cover the cost of these meters because the government think they are a 'good thing' but they are useless once you change energy companies. Total crock.

 

[CityStu]

They exist so utility companies can gather data about you, which they can then sell on as an additional source of income.

 

[Midlands Blue]

2nd generation of meters are supposed to work with any energy company so should still work if you switch. Due to start roll out in a couple of years, so if you ain't got one yet it might be worth hanging on till they're available.