Smart meter fun

[brightncheerful]

Wow, feels like a long since been here…

anyhow, man from the electricity co called, what do you want i said, to offer you a free smart meter. not interested i said and put the receiver down or such like.

electricity co has written and emailed about smart meters for several weeks recently, badgering. You'd think (perhaps not) they'd take the hint. anyhow, as i see it, the electricity co is in the business of selling electricity which implies selling more of it not less. so there must be a catch and I don't want it to be me. the bumph says the meter after installation might not work for a while so i should continue to provide readings. i can provide readings easily without the hassle and inconvenience of arranging for meter installer to turn up, cut off the mains power for about an hour, and generally litter our driveway with wood shavings, bits of plastic and polystyrene as tradesmen tend to do . And I'm less interested in how much electricity i'm using and more that it costs so if I want to save money I can simply switch off anything that uses electricity. this month's bill - that's another thing, with npower i paid quarterly by cheque or card, with Eon i have to pay monthly, no dd for me, pay by card. and another thing, npower addressed me as Mr (surname), Eon address me as (first name); I don't remember them asking if I mind that, let alone giving them permission - was some £20 lower than last month because they tend to estimate to suit themselves and when i am obliged to pay their estimate because i haven't send my reading I like to exact revenge by cutting down on usage.

rant over

[GrahamPlatt]

Wrong forum? More suited to Bitter Lemons perhaps.

[XFool]

Wrong forum? More suited to Bitter Lemons perhaps.

Possibly. But I sympathise! Particularly about Eon - who dumped everyone onto there monthly arrangement with not so much as a by-your-leave. They 'Welcomed' us to our new exciting Eon-Next account, as if we should be delighted. We weren't!

Promptly dumping them was my first ever change in utility provider.

[brightncheerful]

Promptly dumping them was my first ever change in utility provider

who did you dump them for? I'm seriously thinking of dumping Eon too, Western Power is one possibility, the other is British Gas (with whom I'm an existing customer).

[UncleEbenezer]

Today a man came to read my meters. I don't remember when that last happened: may have been Before Lockdown.

So I expect that'll be reflected in my next statement from them. Good credit balance with luck.

[XFool]

Promptly dumping them was my first ever change in utility provider

who did you dump them for? I'm seriously thinking of dumping Eon too, Western Power is one possibility, the other is British Gas (with whom I'm an existing customer).

British Gas. Simply because, like you, I was an existing customer and, so far, they are still running ordinary quarterly payment accounts.

[chas49]

Promptly dumping them was my first ever change in utility provider

who did you dump them for? I'm seriously thinking of dumping Eon too, Western Power is one possibility, the other is British Gas (with whom I'm an existing customer).

Are Western Power actually a utility provider? I think they are distributors rather than suppliers to consumers.

[terminal7]

EDF have been chasing me to have a smart meter installed on my French property for some 2 years. I have just been informed that there will be a 50 euro addition to my bill on an annual basis starting later this year unless I agree to the installation. Hmmm - hopefully not coming to a street near you in the UK.

T7

[brightncheerful]

British Gas. Simply because, like you, I was an existing customer and, so far, they are still running ordinary quarterly payment accounts.

I visited BG on-line (logged in per my gas account) but it doesn't appear to be accepting customers for electricity (at least not paying by cheque or card 3 monthly). I didn't check whether dd only or smart meter compulsory. BG says that because of energy price volatility it is best to stay with existing provider for the time being.

[ayshfm1]

Mobile phone companies are allowed to repurpose their spectrum. This they are all planning to do, this will result in the sun setting of 2 and 3g.

SMETS 1 are IIRC 2g and SMETS 3 are again IIRC 3g. So as things stand the whole lot will need replacing.

Decided I'd refresh my memory and am this a bit wrong!

SMETS1 is 2g
SMETS2 is different depending on if you are north or south, north uses a radio technology that will be fine, south uses o2 cellular network, which won't, they apparently will need a 4g communication hub retro fitted.

So a mess but not quite as bad a mess as I thought

[XFool]

Mobile phone companies are allowed to repurpose their spectrum. This they are all planning to do, this will result in the sun setting of 2 and 3g.

Any timetable on this? My mobile is an elderly Nokia and 2G.


PS. Should have looked first. May see me out if not my phone, 2033.

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