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R
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rvintner
Rank 2
October 25, 2023
Solved

Smart meter installation problems - poor signal?

  • 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.

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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.

 

75 replies

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Emmanuelle_OVO
Retired Moderator
Emmanuelle_OVO
Retired Moderator
November 23, 2023

Hey @rvintner,

 

Really sorry to hear this,

 

I presume you have already sent photo’s of your meter in to show that the meter isn’t a smart meter? 

Renewable Energy? Big Fan.
juliamc
Rank 20
juliamc
Rank 20
November 23, 2023

Who are the DCC ? Sorry I think this was answered earlier but I’ve lost it !!! Can they be asked directly to come and visit the property? They may have some means of clearing up whether a T3 aerial is needed and confirm whether one is already there (!). There must be someone responsible for this map and its correctness or otherwise.

BPLightlog
Super User
BPLightlogSuper User
Super User
November 23, 2023

DCC are the central data company @juliamc 

Not sure how they can be called out

Bring me Sunshine ~ E&E {Solar PV, Battery Storage, Hybrid EV, ASHP and Home Assistant automation}
    Blastoise186
    Super User
    Blastoise186Super User
    Super User
    November 23, 2023

    It's complicated…

    Only a Supplier can make thar request. 

    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!
    juliamc
    Rank 20
    juliamc
    Rank 20
    November 23, 2023

    Who audits the DCC ?

    BPLightlog
    Super User
    BPLightlogSuper User
    Super User
    November 23, 2023

    Hi Jeffus.

    As per all the stuff above, I don’t have a smart meter.  My MSN starts K0.  As I understand it, this is why OVO have been sending me notes saying that my meter is old and needs updating because they can see from the MSN.  As per my note above, I think that my Specialist is confused although she is very specific in saying that The System says that I have a smart meter and a T3 aerial.

    Is all slightly doing my head in.

     

     

    If I return to the start of this thread and look at the initial response, it says “ … 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.”

    How or why this has got corrupted to ‘your smart meter has a T3 aerial’ I’m not sure but it obviously began with a need for a T3.

    @Emmanuelle_OVO can someone get back into this to determine why the initial response has been changed? Although the account still says the location needs a T3, at least it makes sense and can possibly be progressed.

     

    Alternatively - in my view - the customer should seek another supplier who can progress the installation 

    Bring me Sunshine ~ E&E {Solar PV, Battery Storage, Hybrid EV, ASHP and Home Assistant automation}
      Blastoise186
      Super User
      Blastoise186Super User
      Super User
      November 23, 2023

      Who audits the DCC ?

      Ofgem

      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!
      Emmanuelle_OVO
      Retired Moderator
      Emmanuelle_OVO
      Retired Moderator
      November 24, 2023

      It certainly is puzzling without seeing what’s going on, on the account. I’ll ask Forum_Support to reach out again!

       

      Keep an eye on your private messages @rvintner 

      Renewable Energy? Big Fan.
        Jeffus
        Rank 20
        Jeffus
        Rank 20
        November 27, 2023

        Thanks Jeffus.

        I have sent one more mail asking OVO to confirm what MSN and MPAN that they are basing their decisions on. Because, as Firedog notes above, these can sometimes be noted incorrectly.

        Failing that, I will do as you suggest.  I would like to think that this will genuinely be looked at by people higher up the chain, even if not the CEO, but I am sceptical.  But I will definitely try.

        Thanks for your input.

        Have you made any progress @rvintner ?

        Am surprised this has been going on since May as you mentioned in your first post.

        We are nearly in December... even if an aerial was needed you really should have been all sorted by now given your neighbours have working smart meters.

         

        R
        Rank 2
        rvintnerAuthor
        Rank 2
        November 28, 2023

        Hi Jeffus,

        Thank you for asking if any progress has been made.  Sadly, the answer is no.  The recent e-mail from OVO as follows:

        Good Morning Mr Nunn ,

        I can confirm these details -

        MPAN: 

        SERIAL NUMBER 

        If you believe any of these numbers to be incorrect then please send us a photograph of your meter.

        As I explained previously, if these details are correct then we cannot connect your T3 aerial. However I thank you for your feedback and will credit your account with a £30 goodwill gesture upon agreement of closing the complaint down as resolved.

        We cannot keep complaint cases open indefinately, therefore if I do not hear back from you in 5 working days then I will close your complaint accordingly.

        Kind regards,

        Suzie

        Advanced Resolutions Specialist

        So that’s the end of the road with the Advanced Resolution Specialists and I am not really any further forward.

        My understanding of the situation, after all this time and all these comms, is as follows:

        • Some smart meter installations require a T2 or T3 aerial to be installed so as to allow them to communicate effectively.
        • It has been determined that my property requires a T3 aerial.
        • T3 aerials are expensive.
        • The DCC is reluctant to provide T3 aerials.
        • The DCC engineers have to be present for T3 aerial installation.
        • OVO will not supply a T3 aerial or get involved with providing a smart meter that requires one.
        • OVO bases T3 aerial requirement on MPAN and MSN.

        Everyone agree with this?

        What I don’t fully understand is:

        How does OVO know that I require a T3 aerial?  You will remember the confusion in the exchanges above when the Specialist was saying that they “know” that I already have a T3 aerial (which I don’t.  Nor do I have a smart meter).

        Is it determined by my MPAN and MSN?  If so, how does that work?  The note from the ARS above suggests that it is indeed based on these details.

        Is it possible that the deduction, based on these serial numbers, could be incorrect?  I believe that the DCC has a tie up with Ordnance Survey maps so I am guessing that it has to be based on the property location on a map and the assumed comms coverage in the area.  But are these assumptions shown to always be accurate?

        What I feel I need is for an actual person to come and look at the property and tell me if installation will or will not work but OVO are not going to do this.  Or so it would appear.

        So where do I go from here?  Do I give up and accept that my property is one of the 0.5% that can not have a smart meter, despite being in South Suffolk and not North West Scotland or do I keep trying?

        @Emmanuelle_OVO You wrote:

        In order to go ahead with the T3 aerial installation we need to go through appointments like these to demonstrate we can’t fix the communication issues without a T3.

         

        It is then up to the DCC to decide whether a T3 would work and provide one. 

        So, can my case be escalated to the DCC, if everyone genuinely believes that I requite a T3?  At the moment, I just feel that OVO is offering me a few quid and is keen to shut down the conversation without really trying to find a solution.  They want me to say that the case is “resolved”, which it isn’t and, if I don’t accept their offer in five days they will close it down anyway.  that’s nice.  This whole thread has been based around what OVO can’t do as opposed to what, with a bit of effort, it could do.  I go right back to my first post and the initial input from OVO.  With regard to appointments, I did have one confirmed appointment, that no one turned up to so maybe this can now be taken to the DCC?

        Come on everyone, let’s find a way to make this work.  I am pretty certain that it is possible, it might just take a bit of effort.

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