Lost Connection - Smart Meters not sending meter readings and no data on In-Home Display (IHD) - Why?

This is something the team will need to look into, @alan54. You can message the team through online chat on the Help Centre.

Alternatively, if you use social media, you can message us on on Facebook or Twitter with your name, DoB and account number.

Oh dear - yet again a nothing response.  I have already sent all of the relevant details to the complaints department using YOUR online form.  Below that form is states --
 

1. You get in touch and tell us why you aren’t happy  I did

2. Our customer service team will do everything they can to resolve your complaint

3. If the problem can’t be resolved, your case will be passed to our Escalated Complaints Team

4. One of our experienced complaints team will be in touch within 5 working days.  You haven’t

5. Some things might take a little longer than 5 days, but don’t worry we will keep you up to date.  You haven’t

6. If at any point you are unhappy with how your complaint has been handled, we can offer you an internal review.  I don’t want an internal review - I want someone to just do as you say you will - they are your processes - not mine ------ do as your process says - simple

I have been complaining about this installation since less than a week after it was installed - I have upheld my part of the deal - please start to uphold yours.  You have my contact details - stop faffing about with chat rooms - make 1 to 1 contact.  I am not re-reporting it. 

I simply don’t keep chasing utility companies - once I have done my bit it is up to you to respond properly i.e. directly to the customer.

Majorly dissapointed with OVO

Not good to hear, @alan54 

Let me get straight to the point: if this issue has been escalated to a manager, and then our Complaints team, it absolutely should be something you get contacted about, within 5 working days. If you haven’t, it tells me that there’s been some miscommunication and the agent you spoke to has not escalated this issue accordingly. There will be notes and I very much hope there will be a complaint on the account. So in this case, I would recommend calling up to ask for that same complaint to be escalated. 

We are super hot on these issues, and only crossed wires like this would prevent you from hearing from us when the complaint isn’t resolved. Give us another chance to put this right: 0330 303 5063

I relented this morning and chased it again by telephone - hopefully that may bear fruit. 

However the processes of OVO need some kind of overhaul if it takes over 2 months and 3 different reports to get some kind of action.  I worked in a service supplier industry for 38 years and if we had reacted in the same way as this then I would have been embarrassed to be associated with them. 

The basic responses I had previously all seemed to suggest that OVO feel their customers are not intelligent enough to report the facts, and they will ignore it until the customer simply gives up and goes away. 

Your online systems give ample opportunity for anyone with half a brain to see that something is just not right - I had to point out that nobody uses exactly the same amount of gas day in and day out - for 70 days - who in their right mind could assume that was correct?  Even telling you that the electric meter has not moved a single digit since installation didn’t set alarm bells ringing - even telling you that the gas meter didn’t even show a digit (not even a zero) didn’t spur the company into action.  How many pointers do OVO need to tell them something is wrong and needs attention.

I wait with baited breath to see what the next outcome is - but I fear holding my breath could be my ultimate demise if previous experience is anything to go by.

My smart meter(s) haven’t sent a reading since the 14th October - nearly a week as i write this. I checked my electricity meter and the red LED is flashing. Here’s my IHD info panel. 
 

it’s very important that i get this sorted as we have elderly people in the the house and we can’t risk any unexpected bills due to having estimated bills. 
 

Also, as i understood it during installation there was no requirement for WiFi to be available as it’s allegedly all done via a mobile signal: can you please confirm that this correct as we have a big problem  getting WiFi to certain areas in the house due to its construction. The meters have been working sinc3 2016 without a problem.

Thanks in advance.

My Smart meter only gets a data connection intermittently.  When it did connect a couple of weeks ago the electricity reading, according to my online records, was around 2100.  An estimated bill  a few days later is consistent with this reading.  I checked the meter, pressed 9 and the reading was 5900 KwH.  Why the difference?  Was the meter set up correctly? The gas readings are correct. 

7 weeks ago I reporter a faulty meter. An engineer came out installed or rather started the installation of a smart one.The smart meter has not been connected as yet even though we have asked several times for it to be done.

Added to This Ovo have estimated our usage,for the period of fault but have completely ignored the fact that we were over £900 in credit with them ! The credit has been cleared from the statements as if it never  existed therefore the bill is an over inflated amount ??

That wifi symbol top left (with a cross across it) tells me the IHD isn’t linked up to the smart meters@Halifaxer 

Same with you@AndrewPB @liz18 - have a look at the electricity meter - is the middle of the three red lights near the top left of the meter face flashing? Is the mobile signal good by the meter? If it’s a no to either of these, there’s a signal issue that needs to be fully diagnosed: 0330 303 5063.

The agent can also check the readings being used in your bill and make sure they all line up.  

Thanks, I’m due to have a look at the meters tomorrow, as the gas meter’s rather inaccessible. I can see the electricity meter red light’s flashing though. I was emailed a list of tasks to work through so I’ll do that and get back to you.

It’s very strange that this should happen though - it’s been woirking fine for a number of years.

Quite an interesting diagnostic session at the weekend - I followed the directions provided by an Agent, and found that the gas meter appears to be communicating successfully, and the (single) LED on the electricty meter is flashing once a second. I’ve taken readings.

However, the bad news is the mobile signal next to the electricity meter is even lower than the cellar it’s located in:

The odd thing is that the signal’s been fine for 3 years, but since 5G was introduced there’s been a reduction in 3/4G signal strength, and now the meter(s) have all but lost their signal! This is with EE - we also have on O2 mobile which on closer inspection is about the same.

I have just discovered today that my electricity smart meter has not logged a reading with OVO since the 24/01, yet my gas meter reading is getting logged daily. The led lights on the electricity meter is blinking green.  What do I need to?  I only discovered this by accident when I logged onto my OVO account and it said that they had not received a meter reading for electricity for some time?

Very odd, @Sparkster2301 - I’d expect the gas meter usage data to also be an issue if it is for the electricity. Have a look at the ‘best answer’ which I’ve got above this message, which let’s you confirm or rule out a signal issue between your electricity meter and us. 

Then give us a call so an agent can run through what we call the ‘smart meter health checks’, to diagnose the issue: 0330 303 5063

Tim

Giving up on my IHD. The gas works, but the electricity stopped a few months ago. Spoke to Ovo, who said someone from the smart-metering team would probably have to visit and that’s that. Is there any way I can re-pair the electricity meter myself?

It does’t sound like it, @scuthber, it’s a shame to hear we couldn’t get this sorted over the phone for you, but it sounds like we need to get an engineer to recommission the meter. Once this has been done, the IHD should kick back into action

Thanks! . 

So I guess I’m now another one of the many frustrated customer with multiple IHD failure.

My IHD installed for couple years had exactly the same fault as others.  I contacted OVO directly about 6 months ago and after about a week it started working properly again. It was been working OK after lots of initial smart meter upgrade problem rebooting with the message  “waiting for current data” followed by “connection lost”. 

I have again tried switching it off and on re-connecting to WiFi etc but still it won’t work.  Thought I’d leave it for a month to see if the mysterious fix occurred again.

There is a page on the OVO website for replacing a failed IHD but they say they are out of stock and there is no link to click to go and order one anyway!

Also, I can’t see anywhere on the website contact section to email OVO with my specifics and get it resolved - AGAIN!!  What’s the point of marketing and installing a smart meter, which does help save cost and energy, when it hasn’t worked for about 50% of the time it’s been installed!

How can I check if it’s actually reporting accurately for billing, or even if it’s reporting at all?

Proper pain, when these IHDs drop out like this, @NoelW - I feel your pain!

Can you see the ‘best answer’ (at the top of this topic) for info on how to diagnose (and maybe fix) IHD connectivity issues. 

Next steps are included and differ depending on the results. 

I’ve checked best answer but does not help.

My IHD (Chameleon Type 1 black) shows connected to Wi fi within the settings menu and the wi fi indicator in top left of display is flashing.  

The IHD cycles about every 80 seconds through - Welcome to your energy monitor; IHD3-PPMID-CAD 2.3; GUID Hex number; Waiting for current data; then starts cycle again.

I have Toshiba SKU2 Cellular + mesh meter with blue (A) and orange (B) buttons.  The SW, WAN, MESH, HAN and GAS green lights all flash together every 5 seconds.
 

So what’s wrong?

Thanks @NoelW 

A perfect comment giving us all the info we need to work with. 

SMETS2 smart meter seems to be in comms, with WAN and HAN. But it sounds like your IHD isn’t paired. Can you see this topic for a possible DIY fix, and let us know if it works by leaving a comment on the thread?

If anyone has a different diagnosis based on the above, I’m sure Noal wouldn’t mind hearing it! I feel like we’re in a House episode but for IHD hospital 

So I went to “this topic” and tried the fix, and many other combinations of push and hold on/off button etc etc.  Still not working. The IHD is only 3 metres away from the smart meter through a window and the the meter box plastic door so it can’t be distance or other physical issues.  Btw - Why is the Wi Fi icon not used for Wi Fi?!!  I just noticed that the vertical graph in top left corner is what indicates Wi Fi connection as that’s what goes solid on connecting Wi Fi.  So the problem is not that either!!  I’m a not re-set the IHD for re-boot.  Why are there no instructions for doing that?  Why do you not have them?  Can’t you try sending me a replacement IHD?  Ridiculously frustrated, with a useless system, and a supply company that seems to have no idea about how to properly support customers.  Whilst you’re trying to find another excuse to do nothing to help, could you also find me one good reason to stay with OVO?

Ahh, that’s annoying. I might need to update this topic if it turns out this workaround fails. 

Thanks for trying these steps, and for the info above. It sounds like distance and WAN isn’t an issue.

One thing we can do for you is ‘re-pair’ the device with the comms hub. If this doesn’t fix the IHD, we do have the option to add you to a list for a replacement IHD. So I think the next stage is a chat with our web chat team here. If calling is preferred, get us on: 0330 303 5063. 

I’m sorry @NoelW - there is work to do, in improving the online resources available to customers to diagnose and fix issues like this. Our community here can play a major role. This topic should help those in your position (for example). But you just want this fixed - I get that. 

Give our Support team a try, see what we get done for you, and let’s reevaluate. Keep us updated if you can. :) 

So we did the right thing and got a smart meter installed by OVO last year. Trouble is, in March 2020 it lost WAN connection and hasn’t regained it since. I made OVO aware in July 2020 and after investigation it seems we need an engineer to visit to attempt a fix.

Trouble is it’s now almost 5 months later and there is absolutely no information available on when this might happen. Every contact via the Twitter team ends up with “sorry, you’re on the list, the team will be in touch as soon as possible”. I appreciate that covid has caused problems but some idea of how long it might take to get an appointment is the bare minimum of customer service I would expect. I hope people getting smart meters installed are aware of what might happen if the meter develops a similar fault…… I’m assuming new meter installations are being prioritised over revisits.

Has anyone got any advice on how to get this resolved as quickly as possible?

Hi there @givemecake ,

Welcome to the forum, thanks for joining us here. Could you set up your profile for us please? It can sometimes help us to give more accurate answers if you need help.

I’m sorry to hear you’re still having trouble with the meters misbehaving. You might want to try contacting OVO again via Live Chat or phone over here and let the team know you’ve not been able to resolve this issue yet and you’ve been waiting a long time.

If you let the agent know that you’ve had a chat with me on the forums and provide a link to this thread, they’ll be able to see what’s already been written here so far.

Please keep us posted too with how things go!

Yep I think it’s worth double checking with the web chat team, @givemecake - 9 second average wait today. 

It might not be different news, but it’s worth getting another pair of eyes. Can’t hurt, and might make progress on what sounds like a really frustrating delay. 

My (no very) smart meters have been doing this intermittently since they were installed last November. First time was early this year, contacted OVO and they said they would do a system health check their end, then it worked again. Went again in the Summer, contacted OVO again and they said I might need an aerial fitted to boost the signal but I might have to wait 3 months for an engineer to come out. Great! But then it started working again anyway after about 2 weeks. It was OK until the end of November then it stopped sending readings again, that was for 2-3 days then starting sending them. Worked until the middle of December then stopped sending readings yet again, and it’s still currently like that and I have to do it manually. Waste of time these so called smart meters, not going to bother contacting OVO again. 

Hi @ChazzaB ,

Apologies for the slow reply, I’m currently catching up on a few threads that haven’t been replied to recently.

I do have some good news here, in that these issues are definitely being actively investigated and several fixes have been attempted across the platform over the last few months which did have some results in a few cases. I’ve recently had another update which I’m unfortunately unable to share publicly right now, but there’s a possible chance that the ultimate root cause has been found, which may help to fix these issues completely.

This is one of the hot topics that is definitely pretty high on the agenda. We’ll keep you posted with any news or updates.