Three Phase AMR for domestic property unable to send half hourly data

Thankyou. One of the final emails stated verbatim:

”The meter you have may have capabilities of retrieving half hourly data with a different set up and a company that has access to that data, but this is something we do not and cannot have access to. In order for this meter to be able to send half hourly readings to our platform we would need device IDs to add this, if it was possible to commission on to our platforms this would have been completed on install, these meters do not have the Device IDs needed”

it seems it is an Octopus software/portal issue?

Sounds like it.

I think OVO might be able to support your setup. Bear with me, as I’d need to ask the forum moderators about this first. I’d rather double check than disappoint you.

I’ve asked some very knowledgeable smart meter colleagues for their take on Octopus’ reply. 

@Edinburghadvisers you’ve got some nice new green tech badges - let’s get you an answer to top it off! 

Badges are great! A smart meter would be even better! Trying to do my bit for Net Zero and sure there must be a solution. 

I’ve heard back and have been advised:

Your current EDMI AMR meter cannot do the things a Smart meter, via the DCC, can do, and that means no smart tariffs etc.  Exactly why you got an AMR meter is unclear.

It looks like someone has tried to solve the half hourly (HH) data solution and set them up with something that cannot be supported by Octopus, but that’s a guess and Octopus are best placed to advise. It is worth noting that we can support it, not as a smart meter but OVO do have AMR agreements in place to remotely collect the data. 

It’s possible for us to check the smart meter signal (known as the wide area network, WAN) but if someone has tried and failed to connect, it’s unlikely...

Thanks for responding. The signal is great according to the company that installed the AMR. It has an external aerial. The simple question is how do I get a meter or system in place that allows me to utilise smart tariffs? You mention OVO can collect the data but is it granular enough to do HH usage?

If you’re in Scotland though, it’s not the mobile phone signal that counts. It’s the Arqiva WAN Signal that’s in play instead. And that runs on a totally different setup.

Most AMR Meters can at least send in the readings based on whatever the reading is at the point of the heartbeat. But unfortunately, they don’t always support HH readings. And then there’s also the metering agents and their systems, which may not have support either.

AMR Meters are a bit of an old school thing, so they weren’t really designed with smart metering in mind.

The WAN signal was weak. Newish house with concrete and foil backed insulation hence the problem. I asked for an aerial but that just moved the issue 50cm so no use to anyone. I can get an aerial outside easily (AMR proves it) but I believe the smart meters in the north do not allow one. Those in the south do. Perhaps OVO can install one from south of Manchester to help!

The last info on availability i have seen is here regarding 3 phase smart meters in general, updated 17th March 2023. So perhaps leave it till  May and phone up and see if they will swap your setup in your area. 

Obviously that assumes you switch to OVO first with your current setup and manual readings, assuming they will do that. 

I suspect you are never going to get a smart tariff with your current meter, no supplier is ever going to invest in a parallel process. It is a dead end investigating anything with the AMR meter unfortunately