What is the BENEFIT to the customer in getting a smart meter?

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
July 16, 2025
67 replies
936 views

Once the novelty of watching the remote display has worn off (And it doesnt like to be to far from the meter!) You start to wonder WHO did this benefit?

The ONE benefit I thought i would get was accurate Direct debit amount settings! NO, you still get the OTT increases and over payments with an automated FORECAST that never reflects actual bills and seasons.

Plus… I couldnt have the Gas Smart meter which is WHY i wanted one in the first place since the Gas meter is in such an awkward place to read….. all down to DISTANCE that even my bluetooth keyboard and headphones could easily cover?!

I also had to waste my time and the Engineers a SECOND time as I was told OVO used the new RELAY transmitter to bridge the gap so i COULD have the Gas smart meter when HE told me no such relay is used by OVO?

So, the only benefit was for the Utility companies to do away with actual meter readers!?

Best answer by Emmanuelle_OVO

Hey @fznuk,

Welcome to the OVO Online Community 🙂

I can see our community members have already given some helpful advice here, just wanted to add the following:

Show previous replies

Nukecad

Super User

There can be interference with other IoT devices using 2.4 gHz, but not usually with your routers 2.4 ghz wifi in general.

That’s because the Zigbe signal is weaker that a routers wifi signal, think more bluetooth strength.
When there is such interference it usually settles down as devices adjust which channels they are on, although sometimes you may need to intervene manually.
If you have a lot of IoT devices, and some are older, then the chances of interference happening get greater but still they usually sort themselves out.

You may find this thread of general interest regarding smart metering, among the other stuff there’s a section on wifi/Zigbee, interference, and channels.

Your setup doesn’t sound too unusual and I would expect a SMETS2 gas smart meter could be fitted at those ranges without the need for Alt Han, but as I say Alt Han may now be possible where it wasn’t before.
No promisses but if you try again for a gas smart meter there may be no problem connecting it this time.

My own first go at a replacement gas meter wouldn’t communicate with the coms. hub on top of the elctricity meter (only 2.5 metres and a breezeblock wall between them), the second go a number of months later was no problem and it’s been working perfectly since it was fitted.
The technology is getting better all the time.

Regarding the bumf put out about smart meters I think most people would agree that it’s over the top marketing, and like a lot of marketing it tends to be exaggerated.

Being honest it isn’t realy needed now other than as propaganda.
The fact is that smart meters are all that are manufactured these days, so when your current meter certification expires it will be replaced with a smart meter because there is nothing else.
Assuming that meters are replaced when they should be (by law meters are only certified for a set period and should then be replaced) then it should only be another few years until everyone has a smart meter anyway.

Whether that smart meter can sucessfully communicate with the Data Centre or not may be another question, there are always local factors that can block radio signals.
IHDs in blocks of flats is another ongoing issue that Alt Han co. are constantly working to improve. It doesn’t affect the meter sending data to the DCC, but the customer can be out of range for an IHD unless Alt Han is fitted.

However we are not far off the time when everyone will have smart meters, even if you still have to read it yourself and send the readings in.

I said, Hey - Watts going on.

I

Infiltrator

Rank 6

Biggest mistake the supplier industry made was calling the new meters 'smart meters', had they just installed new generation meters with a comms unit attached much of the conspiracy theory paranoia could have been avoided.

Peter E

Super User

@fznuk

As an additional note gas meters cannot transmit their signal as far as a device that is powered from the mains or a rechargeable battery. A gas meter has a sealed-in primary cell battery that has to last 10+ years. It is not connected to the mains (nothing short of a disaster waiting to happen) and it’s not rechargeable. Consequently the transmitter output is very weak and cannot travel either over long distances or through intervening walls. The gas meter will probably hear every command from the smart meter and it will reply but the smart meter won’t hear it if it’s too far away or the environment is electrically noisy.

Peter

Reducing my yearly fossil fuel usage with an EV (-900 litres petrol), A2AHP (-8,700 kWh gas) and Timed Immersion heater (-1,500 kWh gas)

F

fznukAuthor

Rank 2

Doing a little more research regarding the smart meter I need for the gas. Its a shame that the electric meter COMS unit cant be the item thats remote and needing just a power connection since then you would be able to site that in between the two SMETS2 meters? But I think the Coms unit NEEDS to be hard wired to the electric meter with a ribbon?

Zig‑Bee devices on 2.4 GHz are capped at +10 dBm (10 mW) transmit power. Most smart‑meter HAN modules actually run at around +8 dBm to strike the balance between range and battery drain, giving a link budget adequate for a few metres through normal walls.

So, i will need a Alt HAN device - bit like a powerline extender BUT in my case and that im 1 floor up from the meter might still be too far from the gas meter at 4.6M to the nearest socket?

Peter E

Super User

@fznuk

When you talk about costs are you talking are you talking about the basic cost of electricity? If so SMART meters have very little to do with this althought the cost of these is shared by everyone whether you have a SMART meter or not. The main reason why electricity prices are high is mainly due to the Net Zero policies pursued by successive UK governments. Some people claim it’s the cost of gas but the whole of Europe pay similar gas prices to us and don’t have electricity prices as high as ours.

https://watt-logic.com/2025/05/19/new-report-the-true-affordability-of-net-zero/