Rank 2

Solved

Smart meter installation problems - poor signal?

Forum|Forum|2 years ago
October 25, 2023
75 replies
4764 views

Hi there,

New to the community but have read numerous posts on this subject and have learnt a lot in the process!

Brief history is that I bought an EV, moved to OVO so as to benefit from favourable EV tariff, have been trying to get a Smart Meter installed since May, constantly get fobbed off with e-mails/conversations like the one below and am no further forward. I live six miles from Colchester, not in the NW of Scotland.

Aside from the fact that I think the e-mail below is appalling - who is going to understand a mail like this without the technical knowledge required - what I would like to know from the amazing people on this forum is this:

Is it so unusual that a T3 aerial would be required for installation (if this indeed is what they mean by “an issue relating to T3 aerial”)? Is this for installer to provide? Could I purchase one so that there would then be one less problem? Is it a genuine excuse to cancel the installation appointment?

The mail says that it would require the DCC to come out to the property. Really? I have looked this up as much as I can and from what I can see the DCC is appointed by the government to roll out the network and has nothing to do with individual installations. To me, this looks as though OVO is trying to put up a smoke screen and confuse people. Happy to be told if I have got this wrong.

I understand the need for a good signal so that the meter can communicate but, as I say, I am surrounded by the likes of Colchester and Braintree, I’m not in the back of beyond.

All of this stems from the fact that “an issue/predicted technical abort”has been flagged on my account. How that got there, I don’t know and nor does anyone at OVO (that is prepared to admit it anyway). they said that an engineer visited but I have lived here for 15 years and an engineer has never visited. So anyone I speak to just falls back on this comment and says “nothing can be done”. So on it goes, around and around.

My assumption is this - I live in a “rural community”, despite being six miles from Colchester. I fear that my post code is colour coded to equal “difficult”or “costly” and so it just goes into the Too Difficult Box and no-one is going to help sort it out.

So, good forum friends, how do I take this forward and cut through the technobabble coming from OVO? How do I get someone to take some action to get this “technical abort” removed from my account (if indeed there is even such a thing) and then come and install this smart meter that they keep telling me in the emails that they send to say that my current meter is old and must be replaced. How do I cut through the “customer support team’ to someone who can actually do something.

Thank you in anticipation.

Thanks for getting in touch with us. My name is Alex, an account management agent here at OVO energy.

I have tried to contact you on the both phone numbers attached on the system, first phone number ending in -155 and second phone number ending in -853, but unfortunately I was unable to reach you, so I hope this email finds you well.

Firstly, I would like to apologize for the dissatisfaction caused by the service that has been provided. I will make sure to raise a feedback on the account for our team to reflect back on.

Upon investigating the account I can see that there was a cancellation due to a predicted technical abort, technical about means when the engineer is unable to install the smart meter in the address due to an issue relating to T3 aerial.

Upon checking the account I can see that the cancellation has been done as we would require T3 Aerial as well as the DCC (Data Communications Company) to come out to the property.

I can see that the request to remove the technical abort has been raised previously however until this has been lifted we are unable to book an appointment, and the moment there is no time frame for this.

I understand that you would like to receive a refund based on the lower tariff, however we would be unable to do that due to our eligibility criteria, which states that in order to benefit from our EV Charge anytime tariff the customer needs to have a smart electric meter and consent to Half Hourly Reads.

If there's anything else we can help with, we're here to support you. Remember that you can always: Visit our Help Centre you'll find lots of handy answers quickly in there)

Contact us via our online chat (Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat 9am-1pm)

Or pick the brains of our OVO community

Thanks,

Alex

Best answer by Blastoise186

Updated on 31/03/25 by Ben_OVO

Yes, they cost something like an extra £25 per install, just for the parts - this doesn’t include labour either.

They’re effectively giant external aerials that are even bigger and more powerful than the T2 Aerials that we’ve seen many times on the Forum. The idea is that they’re High-Gain and can suck up signals in weak signal areas and blast out a more powerful signal in such areas such that it has a chance at working and gaining a stable connection.

Put another way, your cheap and rubbish ISP router that you get for “free” and is worth maybe £10 (except that you pay for it) often has a pretty measly 18dBm TX Power (Transmit Power) and maybe a 1dBi Antenna Gain, so it might work in a flat… But an average two bed house makes it struggle. On the other hand, my £300 Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine has a TX Power of 26dBm and an Antenna Gain of something like 4.5dBi - which is MASSIVELY more powerful and has a ridiculously strong range compared to the “free” routers ISPs give out. For a home environment such as my one-bed flat, it’s stupidly overpowered. But in a giant mansion, it has a way better chance at having decent coverage.

That’s the difference between the built in aerials on a regular Comms Hub and a T2/T3 Aerial.

However, there’s also a thing of having too much TX Power which also causes problems. Having too much power pumped into your transmissions can cause interference. Not a problem for my Ubiquiti UniFi kit as it’s capable of detecting that and automatically resolving it. But a T3 Aerial can’t do that as there’s no automatic way of resolving said interference. This, I believe, is one of the reasons they’re not given out freely.

Blastoise186

Super User

I see. This is an issue beyond OVO’s control unfortunately - and you’d run into it regardless of who your supplier is.

A T3 Aerial is the most powerful external aerial that exists for Smart Meters in the Southern Territory and only DCC can supply one. DCC REALLY doesn’t like having to give them out, so they have to come out and do it specially if it really is necessary.

Until that happens, you can’t do much I’m afraid. I will ask backstage on the forum however, please bear with me as this may take some time.

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way! Remember, I'm just like you - AI Powered Evil Geniuses aren't Staff!

R

rvintnerAuthor

Rank 2

Thank you for your speedy reply. I have seen your other comments on the forum and note that you say that all suppliers would be the same.

OK, but my next question then is How does OVO know that I need a T3 aerial? What are the options below this? T2 and T1 I assume. You say that it is beyond OVO’s control but, at this stage, how does OVO know what is, or isn’t required for an installation to be successful? What are they basing their technical opinions on? No one has been to the property so how does anyone know what type of aerial is or isn’t required?

Blastoise186

Super User

From what I understand, that all comes from coverage maps created by DCC and all suppliers have access to the same ones. It’s generated from various data sources and I think the O2 coverage map is probably one of them - they don’t come to the property to get that data.

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way! Remember, I'm just like you - AI Powered Evil Geniuses aren't Staff!

R

rvintnerAuthor

Rank 2

Fair enough. But O2 Coverage Map for my post code reads “4G. Good coverage indoors and outdoors. Good for Broadband”.

As I see it, all of this hinges on whether a smart meter will communicate or not and, I am guessing, no-one will really know until they come and check. At the moment, it is being based on a map. Is it possible to check on a DCC map? How can I get someone to come and perform a physical check?

BPLightlog

Super User

Of course @rvintner , the smart meter data doesn’t use standard mobile signals and so your O2 coverage will not be indicative of the signal for a smart meter

Bring me Sunshine ~ E&E {Solar PV, Battery Storage, Hybrid EV, ASHP and Home Assistant automation}

R

rvintnerAuthor

Rank 2

OK, I was only referencing that as it was mentioned by Blastoise186 in his replies.

So how can I find out re signal for smart meter coverage in my area? Or do I have to rely on a map that OVO has and if that map says “No” then there will be no smart meter for me? If so, are these maps 100% accurate and how and when are they updated?

Blastoise186

Super User

OK, I was only referencing that as it was mentioned by Blastoise186 in his replies.

So how can I find out re signal for smart meter coverage in my area? Or do I have to rely on a map that OVO has and if that map says “No” then there will be no smart meter for me? If so, are these maps 100% accurate and how and when are they updated?

That is information that even I don’t have access to directly I’m afraid. I can try to find out by asking backstage, but this may take some time. Please bear with us.

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way! Remember, I'm just like you - AI Powered Evil Geniuses aren't Staff!