Smart Meters ITV Tonight
Discussion
It's irrational for the Govt to embark on a billion pound project whose USP - as evidenced in all of their tv adverts - is simply to save people the trouble of reading their meters.
Doesn't make sense to me.
Have you seen the tv programme? Do you know what the outcome was? I'll have to try and see it on catch-up?
Doesn't make sense to me.
Have you seen the tv programme? Do you know what the outcome was? I'll have to try and see it on catch-up?
Since I've had my smart meter I've not had any problems with arguing with energy companies on usage and bills.
Co op wanted £400 for 3 months gas usage. It took me ages to get that sorted out.
This year for example I had a month of paying as I could see what my usage and payments were and this winter I won't have any nasty surprises with the bill.
Co op wanted £400 for 3 months gas usage. It took me ages to get that sorted out.
This year for example I had a month of paying as I could see what my usage and payments were and this winter I won't have any nasty surprises with the bill.
If they weren't nonsense, then Germany would be rolling them out.
But they are not - because the business case doesn't stack up.
Why on earth you would give someone remote control of switching off your utilities (particularly with the IT security issues that such a device presents) is beyond me. It won't change the way I use gas or electricity, I am more than capable of monitoring my usage and checking my bills, so why do I need one?
The only people to benefit are the utility companies and until they roll out lower tariffs for having one, then I am not going to get one.
But they are not - because the business case doesn't stack up.
Why on earth you would give someone remote control of switching off your utilities (particularly with the IT security issues that such a device presents) is beyond me. It won't change the way I use gas or electricity, I am more than capable of monitoring my usage and checking my bills, so why do I need one?
The only people to benefit are the utility companies and until they roll out lower tariffs for having one, then I am not going to get one.
GlenMH said:
Why on earth you would give someone remote control of switching off your utilities (particularly with the IT security issues that such a device presents) is beyond me. It won't change the way I use gas or electricity, I am more than capable of monitoring my usage and checking my bills, so why do I need one?
this is exactly why i will never have one in my home,and if they get arsey about it i will just have no meter and free electricity.Downward said:
Since I've had my smart meter I've not had any problems with arguing with energy companies on usage and bills.
Co op wanted £400 for 3 months gas usage. It took me ages to get that sorted out.
This year for example I had a month of paying as I could see what my usage and payments were and this winter I won't have any nasty surprises with the bill.
Co op wanted £400 for 3 months gas usage. It took me ages to get that sorted out.
This year for example I had a month of paying as I could see what my usage and payments were and this winter I won't have any nasty surprises with the bill.
I've not had any billing issues since having a smart meter. Then again I never did before over many years and several suppliers.
It was amusing to watch the meter go up and down as things came in and out, for a while, but can't say I look at it much now.
I spent more than the odd year in energy distribution, and can assure all, that smart meters are buggar all about the consumer. They ARE all about forcing behaviour change, charging different rates for energy at differing times of day , and ultimately, the rationing of that energy.
Basically, what they have done is persue an energy policy wherein they have no control over when power will actually be generated , thus they need to be able control usage when the wind ain't blowing, its insane, avoid said "smart" meters at all costs.
Basically, what they have done is persue an energy policy wherein they have no control over when power will actually be generated , thus they need to be able control usage when the wind ain't blowing, its insane, avoid said "smart" meters at all costs.
People are naive to think anything like this ever going to be in their long term interests.
Like more fuel efficient diesel cars (become more complex with higher maint costs and as soon as they become popular, surprise surprise, the cost of diesel increases 20% odd to be 10% more than the petrol everyone used to buy. Black boxes on cars for insurance to "save money" or make it impossible for those that use them to get normal insurance and cause them to drive like pussies all the time.
Smart meters will be no different, get everyone on them, make us all start "saving money" by freezing our cakks off to save 30p a day, getting low energy fridge bulbs and being f
king miserable at home, living in darkness, and then find the energy companies just stick the unit price up so we all spend more anyway.
Smart meters, black boxes, diesels with DPFs and Ad Blue. Stick em all up your arse as far as I am concerned.
Like more fuel efficient diesel cars (become more complex with higher maint costs and as soon as they become popular, surprise surprise, the cost of diesel increases 20% odd to be 10% more than the petrol everyone used to buy. Black boxes on cars for insurance to "save money" or make it impossible for those that use them to get normal insurance and cause them to drive like pussies all the time.
Smart meters will be no different, get everyone on them, make us all start "saving money" by freezing our cakks off to save 30p a day, getting low energy fridge bulbs and being f
king miserable at home, living in darkness, and then find the energy companies just stick the unit price up so we all spend more anyway. Smart meters, black boxes, diesels with DPFs and Ad Blue. Stick em all up your arse as far as I am concerned.
What's the point??
As others have said, how hard is it to submit an online meter reading once a month? & what about the special screen that shows how much you're using? How long before its fked? The dog eats it? Someone spills tea all over it? Who will pay for a new one??
Incidentally, my energy provider made an appointment, but their 'highly trained technician' couldn't fit said meter as it 'might interfere' with the landlord supply in the block of flats I live in.....
As others have said, how hard is it to submit an online meter reading once a month? & what about the special screen that shows how much you're using? How long before its f
ked? The dog eats it? Someone spills tea all over it? Who will pay for a new one??Incidentally, my energy provider made an appointment, but their 'highly trained technician' couldn't fit said meter as it 'might interfere' with the landlord supply in the block of flats I live in.....
Oh man, smart meters.
I fully agree that I dont need someone else to read my meters and I definitely don't want the companies to be able to throttle or switch off my power, but I've been subjected to a nonsense campaign by my neighbours who are trying to band together to stop the installation of smart meters - none of my concerns above have been mentioned, but they are majoring on:
Hackers can see if you children are home.
Electomagnetic water causes cancer.
Wi-Fi mesh networks cause cancer.
And loads more bunkum like that. They are tinfoil hat wearing nutters.
I fully agree that I dont need someone else to read my meters and I definitely don't want the companies to be able to throttle or switch off my power, but I've been subjected to a nonsense campaign by my neighbours who are trying to band together to stop the installation of smart meters - none of my concerns above have been mentioned, but they are majoring on:
Hackers can see if you children are home.
Electomagnetic water causes cancer.
Wi-Fi mesh networks cause cancer.
And loads more bunkum like that. They are tinfoil hat wearing nutters.
Don't they work on GSM(????) Flat Earth - here we come....Strange, i'm actively looking for a new energy supplier and one of the requirements is that it comes with a smart meter.
Energy companies for the most part are a nightmare to deal with when it comes to bills so introducing something that does away with this makes perfect sense to me. At the same time allows me to see real time what my usage is and avoids the need for some random man rummaging about in my games room to read the meter every so often so i struggle to see the downside.
'Allows hackers to see when your children are home'
Not sure if that was an actual concern but i'm struggling to see how a smart meter would tell anyone this. It could maybe tell them if you've left the tv on but that's about it.
Energy companies for the most part are a nightmare to deal with when it comes to bills so introducing something that does away with this makes perfect sense to me. At the same time allows me to see real time what my usage is and avoids the need for some random man rummaging about in my games room to read the meter every so often so i struggle to see the downside.
'Allows hackers to see when your children are home'
Not sure if that was an actual concern but i'm struggling to see how a smart meter would tell anyone this. It could maybe tell them if you've left the tv on but that's about it.
Overly expensive - unsecured and provide limited to no benefits to the consumer (a simpler system that communicates via an app to your smart phone would have been better). I will fight against having one of these for as long as I can followed up by shielding the damn thing in a Faraday cage to stop it communicating.....
Jinx said:
Overly expensive - unsecured and provide limited to no benefits to the consumer (a simpler system that communicates via an app to your smart phone would have been better). I will fight against having one of these for as long as I can followed up by shielding the damn thing in a Faraday cage to stop it communicating.....
Could you just wrap it in tin foil? R8Steve said:
Strange
Not sure if that was an actual concern but i'm struggling to see how a smart meter would tell anyone this. It could maybe tell them if you've left the tv on but that's about it.
They can already do far more than that, look up RFID chips for a start. I do recall around 3 years back there was a hubbub that all electrical domestic appliances should have an id chip in them, which could be interrogated and id'd via the network. I don't recall if it was implemented, but it would fit if so. Would assist in potential power rationing, assessing the power needs of a property. Not sure if that was an actual concern but i'm struggling to see how a smart meter would tell anyone this. It could maybe tell them if you've left the tv on but that's about it.
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