Is the OVO SMETS1 smart meter compatible with other suppliers?

No worries :)

I’d also recommend being very careful about text messages you receive randomly out of the blue like that. There’s usually something dodgy behind it and no-one should be sending you marketing messages if you’ve not granted consent either.

All SMETS1 meters will eventually be upgraded to run on SMETS2 firmware, which will unlock most of the features you can enjoy with the newer SMETS2 meters, such as being able to change supplier and retain all the smart functionality. But it takes a while to get that all done. I can confirm that the one you have will definitely be getting that firmware upgrade eventually if it hasn’t already done so.

I think the switch from Boost to OVO in your case might have to be done manually and going in via the website probably won’t work. But no doubt we’ll find out soon.

If you need anything else, definitely let us know!

Hi @The Dazzler and thanks for all of that info you shared with our pro problem blaster.

As @Blastoise186 mentioned it is a Secure Liberty S1 meter. That will be upgraded to the DCC and will be compatible with all suppliers at some point before September 2021. In the meantime, these are the suppliers it’s also compatible with, last time we heard:

Utilita Energy Limited
Co-operative Energy Ltd
First Utility Ltd
Electricity Plus Supply Ltd t/a The Utility Warehouse
E (Gas & Electricity)
Spark Energy Supply Limited
Eversmart Energy Ltd
EON Energy
Robin Hood Energy Limited
Ecotricity
Bristol Energy
Our Power Energy Supply Ltd
Octopus Energy

As the sign up process is different for OVO (I know you were once with OVO, but that was when prepayment was part of the OVO offer, now it’s Boost), your best bet is to sign up to OVO having switched to another supplier listed above. However it’s worth getting this advice checked with our Support team first, as blaster mentioned. Do this here.  

Hi Tim. I followed the company links you sent me above and decided Octopus would be the best for us as they seem to have the best ratings on comparison websites.. however, this is what their website says… 

“If you currently have a prepayment meter and would like to switch to us and pay by Direct Debit, you need to ask existing supplier to switch your prepayment meter for a credit meter before you can move over.”

if you have to do that then why cant you just switch it and let me remain? this make no sense what so ever!?

Hi @The Dazzler ,

It sounds like you’ll get stuck there because similar to OVO, Octopus only does Pay Monthly/Credit tariffs and Boost only does Pay As You Go. Switching between the two types at the same time as switching supplier isn’t something that can be done easily.

I did have a chat with @Tim_OVO about this sort of situation recently and I think he’s chasing up some workarounds internally.

In the meantime, the best solution I can recommend would be to temporarily switch to a supplier capable of doing Pay Monthly and Pay As You Go tariffs while staying in PAYG mode, then switch to a Pay Monthly tariff with that supplier on a Standard Variable tariff, which should then unlock the freedom to go with any supplier who offers Pay Monthly tariffs that you fancy - provided you keep within the suppliers in Tims list for now.

I can understand that it’s not ideal, but once you’ve switched over to Pay Monthly, you shouldn’t have the same problem again.

thanks for the reply @Blastoise186 as you can see this is becoming extremely frustrating.

and to top it all off BOOST have decided that their new app will no longer allow rolling top ups!!… who in their right mind thought that was a good idea… absolutely appalling!

Hi @The Dazzler :

I received a text message from E.ON saying they are installing smart meters in my area and sent me  a contact number should I wish to upgrade… seriously considering it as at least that way I will have the SMETS2 meter….

Erm… no you won’t!

There’s no bonus paid to E.on for installing a Smart Meter on a site that already has one. I think their advert is allowing you to read too much into it.

Anyway by now your SMETS1 meters will have been upgraded to SMETS2 functionality by the manufacturer, Secure. The start date for this process was 30th July 2020.

So you are already running with the latest software and in theory can change to any Energy Supplier you wish. It will retain full smart connectivity without you needing to keep to those suppliers on the list above.

The bit of information I don’t have is whether OVO have also migrated your site onto the National Smart Meter Network. This process is ongoing and is scheduled to take a year.