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Telefonica Coverage Improvements

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Hello. Around a year ago I requested SSE to install a Smart Meter. They attempted this but even with an “extra large” aerial it wouldn’t connect to the network. So the engineer took it out and put back our old dumb meter. I asked about connecting via WiFi but that functionality isn’t available (which seems pretty dumb imo).

 

My question are these: has the OVO takeover changed anything? Or have Telefonica/O2 improved their coverage (from frankly awful) in the last 12 months? Basically: is it worth trying again? And, as an aside; why don’t the meters communicate via WiFi? My mobile phone can use WiFi Calling so it’s perfectly possible.

 

Thanks.

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Best answer by Blastoise186 12 April 2023, 17:16

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BPLightlog
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Hi @njt2109  I know there have been improvements with communication but this is often down to other things like extra links between meters so that the signal can ‘hop’ between. 
The external signal coverage is as you say with other companies and so OVO don’t have any sway in that part. 
The non Wi-Fi by the way is because the signal isn’t secure enough as the data is of course part of a network and the energy supplies are needed to be more secure than standard Wi-Fi 

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Blastoise186
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Hey @njt2109 ,

This isn’t an OVO issue, but more of a DCC/Telefonica one. However, it’s definitely a valid question for here and a really good one!

I’d imagine that the T3 Aerial that DCC was working on might have a better chance since it’s either now available or soon to be ready. If that monster can’t get a signal, then you might be out of luck unless there’s a Mesh Network in the area.

As for Wi-Fi? I’m afraid the NCSC banned that option for Smart Meters because they’re part of critical national infrastructure that cannot be allowed to run over the public internet.

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way!
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Thanks all. How can I find out if the T3 aerial is available yet? Cos it won’t be worth my while trying again until something better is out there. And when the 2G and 3G services are switched off it will get worse before it might get better. 
I must say that I find it baffling that building and running “nationally critical infrastructure” is left to incompetent and avaricious corporations who won’t lift a finger without a subsidy. But they can at least say that their network is secure and can’t be hacked; where there’s no connection it can’t be compromised!

Blastoise186
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I can try to find out. There’s a few people I know who might have that answer.

Give me a few days, I need permission from a forum moderator to do this.

2G will remain active for the time being, so Comms Hubs will still work until they get upgraded to 4G Comms Hubs.

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👍

Blastoise186
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Just an update. Permission has been granted. We’re waiting for a response from an internal expert.

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Nice! I’ll be all ears……

Tim_OVO
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Hi @njt2109 and thanks for posting,

 

I’ve been advised that we’ve carried out a trial installing T3 aerials but the process requires us to try and get a T2 aerial to attempt connectivity, and failing that, to raise an incident with the DCC so they can investigate. They then recommend if a T3 will resolve the issue.

 

We need to understand why this site could not connect without T3 and if a T3 is now needed, which only the DCC can confirm. 

 

Our advice would be to arrange a smart install from OVO and for the issues you’ve had with British Gas to be included in the job notes. 

Carbon neutral - we need a community to get there! My green tech: Aclara SGM 1411-B smart meter, Chameleon IHD6
Blastoise186
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The other thing to be aware of, is that T3 Aerials are HUGE compared to a T1 or T2 Aerial or just having the Comms Hub by itself. They have to be affixed to the building permanently, but there’s ways of doing it so that the aerial doesn’t get in your way or look ugly compared to the space around it.

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Thanks. I’ll give that a try.

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the whole T3 aerial thing has been a shambles (actually the whole smart meter rollout has been), it should have been available from the start because, funny enough, there are a heck of a lot of properties like the OP’s where due to meter location no signal is available.  I had this issue for years until I managed to get a MESH connection to nearby meters.  My meter is at the back of our house (1820’s cottage) so chuffing thick walls.  Had a T2 fitted BUT the pathetically short cable (about 2m) connecting the aerial to the comms hub wasn’t long enough to reach a nearby window where I could get a signal! ALL I NEEDED was a longer cable!, about 5m, but nope can’t do that!  Pathetic.

Emmanuelle_OVO
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Hey @fancyabrew,

 

Sorry for the issues you’ve had with your aerial being installed. 

 

I’ll ask an expert more about this internally and report back to you 🙂

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Emmanuelle_OVO
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Just to add quickly @fancyabrew while I wait for a response from the team…

 

T3 was available day one but the DCC has relied on getting enough devices in an area for mesh to then work, much like Wi-Fi does the same, the more connections, the stronger the signal in hard to reach area’s. Which seems to be the exact case here, and we don’t decide if T3 is needed the DCC do. 

 

But I'll ask about the longer cable and get back to you. 

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its not an issue for me now this was a few years ago and I wasn’t an OVO customer.  but it did highlight the shambles that the smart meter roll out has been, we basically had a non-functioning smart meter for 2 years just for the want of a longer cable! 

The issue I have now is I’m not seeing my usage data, I went on supply with OVO on April 13th (moved from Shell) and all I can see is my usage on the 16th and 17th and for 1h on the 18th May!!! Loop works fine :o(

 

Tim_OVO
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Thanks for getting back to us, @fancyabrew. It’s interesting that the third party app Loop is showing your usage data. Would you be able to perform a smart meter health check here? 

Carbon neutral - we need a community to get there! My green tech: Aclara SGM 1411-B smart meter, Chameleon IHD6
Emmanuelle_OVO
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Hey @fancyabrew,

 

Been given some more information about this topic from one of our experts:

 

It doesn't matter who supplies you, Wide Area Network provision lies with the DCC.

 

Unfortunately that can be tricky when the signal relates to the property and not directly to the positioning of the Communications Hub in the property which needs power from the meter somehow to work. 

 

DCC also define which sites will need MESH and which ones will need 'upstream' MESH nodes to connect to..

 

So the aerial is supplied by the DCC it having too short a cable is the responsibility of the DCC, it's not designed to be fed around the property..

 

Not sure how a customer could establish if there was WAN signal at the window, unless they have a sniffer, as it's not a mobile phone communication signal. 

 

The high level is, without understanding the issue at this site, we rely on the DCC providing WAN solutions and they define all that, T3 is there, but sounds like MESH worked?

 

A smart meter that doesn’t connect to WAN shouldn’t have been installed in the first place. 

 

It is interesting that your meter is communicating with Loop, this suggests the HAN is fine, it must be the WAN that’s affected? 

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can defo get a signal at the window as there is only 1 mobile mast used for O2 in the village and I know where it is.  Any O2 based mobile device won’t get a signal in our house (stone built 1820 cottage, daughters phone is on giff-gaff and she doesn't get a signal) step outside and its fine, the window is basically facing the mast, the house is perpendicular to the mast so the signal basically has the whole length of our stone built house to get through to get to the meter!  The aerial cable is STUPID short 2m is no where near enough!  Anyway this was about 5 years ago, in December I managed to get Shell to change my meter, as it never worked and wasn’t even commissioned and yes shouldn’t have been installed in the first place, which was the start of our woes!  I then managed to get a MESH connection so all is\was good  had  ZERO issues with Shell then moved to you guys in April and apart from the 2 days in May 16th and 17th and 1h on the 18th, I have had NO usage data.  Loop data has remained solid and still is displaying fine!  I get NO WAN its using a MESH connection.

Tim_OVO
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If Loop is able to get your usage data, @fancyabrew, that indicates that it isn’t a WAN issue. Can you complete a smart meter health check here which may highlight what the issue is. 

Carbon neutral - we need a community to get there! My green tech: Aclara SGM 1411-B smart meter, Chameleon IHD6
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yep I know hahahah ;o) I did the meter check thingy yesterday. As you can see loop working fine. We’re high usage as we have a EV

 

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