What do I do when I don't have wifi or a poor connection and my smart meter doesn't work?

We have moved and the internet isn't connected yet, so my smart meter doesnt say the same as my ovo app on my phone.  Does the meter need the internet to work and will I still have electricity?

Hi ​@Jenni , no your smart meter doesn’t use your internet connection and your IHD (In Home Display) uses a signal from your smart meter although the IHD occasionally has some additional functions which do use your internet connection.

Your smart meter and IHD might have the wrong tariff, especially after the recent changes but all that happens is that the smart meter records the energy being used and once this is transferred to your supplier, it’s calculated at your tariff rate(s).

Hey ​@Jenni,

Welcome to the community! 

You’ve already had a great answer from BPLightlog above!

Your smart meter sends data through its own secure network, giving you peace of mind! If you'd like to learn more about how it works, check out this helpful article: Do I need wifi to get a smart meter.

If you’ve got any further questions please let us know! 

Hey ​@Ian T ,

First thing I’d try is https://smart-meter-help.ovoenergy.com to see if that can solve the puzzle.

Let me know what it says!

Thanks for your suggestion. Much appreciated.

I had seen this and filled out the questionnaire.  It says that they will look into the issue and will come back to me within 45 days.

I was hoping that there was a simpler (and quicker) way to fix that I had not found?

Cheers

Just to note that you should put the wifi out of your thoughts here.

Smart meters do not currently connect via the internet to send readings
(There are plans/tests ongoing but it is not expected to be a widely available option, simply because it is not as secure as the current dedicated network).

In the South of the country smart meters send readings via mobile, 3G/4G, signal, it the North they use a Long Range Radio signal.

If you are in the South of a line roughly from the Mersey estuary to the Wash then your meters are probably meant to be using the mobile signal to send readings, and if that has improved in the area then it may simply need to have the connection setup tried again?

Or maybe if it’s currently a 3G communications hub swapping it for a 4G coms hub may work?
That excercise of upgrading coms hubs from 3G to 4G has already started:

https://www.smartdcc.co.uk/news-events/4g-communications-hub-roll-out-hits-major-milestone/

Thanks for this and clarifying the wifi use.

Is there a way to try the connection set-up myself or will I have to wait for OVO to come back to me?

Thanks

Engineer only I’m afraid - it’s deliberately locked down to prevent tampering and “accidental” screwups by a customer pressing random buttons.

Suspected that might be the case!

Thanks anyway.

Have a good weekend.

Hey ​@Ian T, 

Welcome to the community! 

You've already gotten some fantastic answers from the community! Just to conirm, your smart meter connects to its own secure network managed by the DCC. So, even if your internet and phone signal are strong, your smart meter might not have the same connection benefits just yet. But here’s the good news—Nukecads pointed out some exciting advancements with new communications hubs and a virtual wide area network, which should help future-proof your setup!

These new technologies are currently being tested for long-term reliability, and they will first be rolled out to our most vulnerable customers before reaching the wider community. 

I also reached out to one of our engineers, Luke, to find out if there are any specific guidelines for installing an EV charger. Sometimes there’s a different framework for installing a communications hub as part of that process to help with communication issues. I'll keep you updated on what he says!

You can also find more information in this helpful article: Wifi and smart meters. I hope you find this helpful.

Hey ​@Ian T,

Check your private messages when you can!