Smart meter... To install or not to install?

[Alex evans]

Are they good?
Are they worth it? At £0.00
Are they accurate?
Does it help you realize where and when and how to save energy?

PLEASE, ONLY comment if you currently DO HAVE one. I dont want to read any rumours or scaremongering.

+++Genuine consumers reviews only please+++

At the moment, we have standard meters, we pay monthly DD and evry now and then, we give meter readings and either we pay them more, or they pay us back.

Cheers guys

 

[JohnD]

I don't have one, so you don't want me to comment.

So I won't mention the fact that it includes a remote-control on/off switch that can be operated remotely over the 'net, for example by an electricity company that wrongly thinks that you, or someone else with a silimar account number, have not paid your bill. Or wants to turn off your supply without asking you, for example at times of high demand.

Or that there are freelance internet hackers, like the ones that crashed the NHS computers, and government ones, who have been able to stop power stations and even nuclear reprocessing plant from operating.

Or that an IP controlled meter is fundamentally insecure.

Or that I (and you if you can be bothered) enter my meter readings online monthly, and never get an incorrect or estimated bill.

Or that "smart meters" are not intended to benefit the consumer. They are intended to benefit the supplier.

Or that they are paid for by the consumers (cost hidden inside your energy bills)

Or that meters are still being installed that can be read by your current supplier, but not by some different supplier that you might switch your account to tomorrow. This is being done to meet Installation Numbers targets, and we already know they will all have to be taken out and replaced by later versions.

 

[Alex evans]

Yep. Hackers targets include, in priority order;

NHS
NUCLEAR "STUFF"
THE GOVERNMENT
-BLOKE, from birmingham.
The ARMY
DONALD TRUMPS BROWSER HISTORY

 

[TheHandyAndy]

I had them installed about 6 months ago, no issues at all so far. They have helped reduce our bills too. Everyone will have to have them in the end anyway...

 

[bernardgreen]

Yep. Hackers targets include, in priority order;

Your list is a list of those hacks that are public knowledge.
Many other hacks occur which the owner/operator of the hacked system is not going to talk about to the media.

 

[Mottie]

I don't have one, so you don't want me to comment.

So I won't mention the fact that it includes a remote-control on/off switch that can be operated remotely over the 'net, for example by an electricity company that wrongly thinks that you, or someone else with a silimar account number, have not paid your bill. Or wants to turn off your supply without asking you, for example at times of high demand.

Or that there are freelance internet hackers, like the ones that crashed the NHS computers, and government ones, who have been able to stop power stations and even nuclear reprocessing plant from operating.

Or that an IP controlled meter is fundamentally insecure.

Or that I (and you if you can be bothered) enter my meter readings online monthly, and never get an incorrect or estimated bill.

Or that "smart meters" are not intended to benefit the consumer. They are intended to benefit the supplier.

Or that they are paid for by the consumers (cost hidden inside your energy bills)

Or that meters are still being installed that can be read by your current supplier, but not by some different supplier that you might switch your account to tomorrow. This is being done to meet Installation Numbers targets, and we already know they will all have to be taken out and replaced by later versions.

Yeah, yeah. As scary as electricity, TV, radio, space travel, escalators, the Internet, microwave ovens, telephones, ships, planes, cars, trains etc etc. I do not doubt for a minute there was a JohnD naysayer or two when all those things first came to the market.

I have a smart meter. No problem at all. Saves me giving monthly readings. Not had my leccy cut off yet and if the meter needs replacing, that's someone else's problem and we'll ALL pay for it like we do now. It's called infrastructure charges. We paid them, didn't you know, when we had hundreds or thousands of meter readers employed by the power companies going round manually taking meter readings not to mention the clerical staff needed to process them. So what if they can turn power off when demand is high or not available - they can do that anyway and they did it regularly in the seventies didn't they? If everyone's asking for electricity and they can't make enough of it, what are they supposed to do? S hit it out?

Hacking into your wifi via the meter is the last of your worries - if they can do that, they can do it just as easily from the dozen or so wifi connected appliances in your home. If you are reading and replying on here, you're hackable!

Better add smart meters to this list then. http://www.techradar.com/news/world-of-tech/12-technologies-that-scared-the-world-senseless-1249053

 

[Iamchamps]

You will find a lot of older and scared of change people will reply to this with all the things they think may happen but never actually have.

The worst thing about a smart meter is being fitted poorly as per featured on watchdog. If the cable for the electric are not done up tight can cause arcing and maybe lead to a fire etc.

I told my current supplier if they don't come and fit my smart meter soon I would leave them. I have had it fitted and is superb. I get an online usage chart shows my usage on a half hour basis (you can change it) so I know when I am spanking the electric. I pay for actually what I use so no estimated bills all in all I am very happy.

 

[JohnD]

You will find a lot of older and scared of change people will reply to this with all the things they think may happen but never actually have.

Do you not believe that the first generation of smart meters, that are already obsolete and can't communicate with all suppliers, are still being fitted, to keep the numbers up?

 

[JohnD]

Hacking into your wifi via the meter

Who mentioned that?

 

[JohnD]

if the meter needs replacing, that's someone else's problem

So you don't care that millions of meters will be changed, at no benefit to the customers?

 

[Iamchamps]

Do you not believe that the first generation of smart meters, that are already obsolete and can't communicate with all suppliers, are still being fitted, to keep the numbers up?

I am fully aware of that mine is not compatible with other suppliers still didn't stop me making them come and fit it. Just means if I swap supplier the new one will have to fit another I am fine with that.

Already this post has moved from the original posters actual question which is what happens every time a smart meter post appears. The same old people post rumours and speculation which none is true or actually happened. John in another post I had blocked a member I remember why now as that said person got so upset and rude with no evidence of problems when I was saying there is nothing wrong with them.

 

[JohnD]

They have helped reduce our bills too.

No they didn't. You did that, by turning off appliances or using them less.

 

[Mottie]

Let's go back to quarterly bills and meter readers then.

 

[Mottie]

No they didn't. You did that, by turning off appliances or using them less.

And when you can see it, you are more careful.

 

[Iamchamps]

No they didn't. You did that, by turning off appliances or using them less.

Of course they did they bought to my attention what was costing money so I could reduce my bill.