Hi ​@Bostic ,

Sounds like a need for Alt-HAN. I’ll check with ​@Lukepeniket_OVO when I next catch him about how that can be implemented.

Did you have a gas meter upstairs as well, or just the IHD?

Nukecad and Blastoise have answered thoroughly. Sounds like an AltHan job where the engineer has used the IHD to check the wan range.

Well that has settled me down a bit thankyou all for your comments.

So the whole thing was a waste of time for me. Conned into getting it after being told meter was getting old x3 ok have to upgrade at sometime so now i cannot have the novelty bit of gear

OVO have got their grant out the government and i have a new meter WOW

Just one other query.I am on Eco 7 too The meter does not read a dual reading as the old one did.

Looking through some of the posts it only reads the rate it is on at the time of checking.

Is that correct?

You should still get the advantage that the meter is sending in readings automatically ; so you don’t have to read it and submit the readings online or by phone.

That’s a different radio signal called the Wide Area Network (WAN) signal.
Depending where in the UK you live it could be a mobile phone signal(in the South) or a long range radio signal (in the North).

If you could post a photo of your new meter then someone will be able to identify it and advise you how to check the rates, etc.
A good close up of the display window showing what it says would also help.

Hey ​@Bostic,

Once a meter reaches a certain age it needs to be replaced so there’s no conning involved. You can read more about this in the article below:

You can also find more information on smart meters on our topic hub here: 

Hopefully, this is helpful. Please post the photos ​@Nukecad requested so we can offer more assistance.

Bit of a delay there. Managed to sort out the button pushing sequence to get the R1 R2 readings.

I want to persue the ability to use the IHD in my flat thats what its all about.

Spent some time on OVO chat-bot ,very helpful ok connect it to WiFi.

No which i read later i have IHD3  which does not connect to WiFi

Aint technology wonderful. Engineer recommended WiFi i assume Alt Han will not work

Really a waste of time. 

Alt-HAN may work for your situation - or it may not do yet but might do in future.

All situations are different.

The thing to take note of is that if the new meter is sending readings then even if you can't see the meter on your IHD at least you don't have to walk up and down 7 floors to read the meter yourself and phone/send it in.

Hey ​@Bostic,

I’m sorry to hear you’ve had a frustrating experience, 

Our community members have given some helpful advice here. Just wanted to add the following info:
 

Using an Alt HAN device with your smart meter

If you’re having issues with your smart meter signal, getting a free Alt HAN may be able to help. Find out more about how Alt HAN works and how to get one installed in your home.

How does Alt HAN work?

Your smart meter comes with an In-Home Display (IHD). This gives you near real-time information about your gas and electricity use, and what it costs. 

The Home Area Network (HAN) connects the devices in your home. In most homes, the smart meter and IHD are connected via the HAN. Sometimes though, smart meters can’t send information about energy use to the IHD, which means OVO doesn’t get the meter readings. This could be because the smart meter and/or IHD are too far apart, or the walls are too thick. 

Alt HAN solves this problem by boosting  the signal range, a bit like a Wi-Fi booster. It allows your smart meters to connect to each other and the IHD. 

What are the benefits of Alt HAN?

With Alt HAN, more people in the UK can benefit from smart meters. Your meter readings are sent directly and securely to OVO, which means more accurate bills, and an end to estimated and manual meter readings.

How will Alt HAN be installed?

The engineer installing your smart meter will plug a device, a bit like a Wi-Fi booster, into a power socket near your IHD. This will allow your smart meter to send information to your IHD, and meter readings securely to OVO.

Do I need to keep the Alt HAN device plugged in?

Yes – for the Alt HAN smart signal booster to work, you’ll need to keep it plugged in. If it’s unplugged, your smart meter won’t communicate with your IHD, so you won’t be able to track your energy use and spending. It might also mean that you’d need to send readings to us manually.

How many homes need Alt HAN?

Around 2.5% of homes in the UK will need Alt HAN.

Are all energy suppliers installing Alt HAN?

Since January 2023, OVO and some other energy suppliers have been trialling Alt HAN. More suppliers are expected to start installing it soon.

Where can I find out more about Alt HAN?

You can find more information on the Alt HAN co website.

Just a brief comment which probably won’t bring your blood pressure down at all: when you eventually get your IHD3 working in your kitchen, you’ll find that it will show the instantaneous meter reading with three places of decimals. However, for a multi-rate meter like yours, this will be the ‘Total Active Import’ figure. It won’t show the readings of the two registers. On the meter itself, you’ll be lucky to see any decimals at all.  

On the other hand, all these data will be there in excruciating detail on your online account, albeit with a bit of delay. Data are retrieved from your meter once a day (so long as you’ve opted for half-hourly readings) and will usually be available to view within 24 hours. Once you’ve found your way around the online account, you might find that you don’t often look at the IHD except for ‘what’s happening now’ sort of stuff.  

A slight correction to the above from Emanuelle:

Sometimes though, smart meters can’t send information about energy use to the IHD, which means OVO doesn’t get the meter readings

Should say:
Sometimes though, gas smart meters can’t send information about energy use to the Communications Hub sat on top of the elctricity meter, which means OVO doesn’t get the gas meter readings