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Smart meter rollout problems and delays...

AJJewsbury
Since zoomup doesn't seem to be around, I'll do the honours....


It appears that there are still some significant problems with the supplier-independent network that SMETS 2 meters need to communicate - especially in the "North" where it seems that some special radio system is being used rather than piggybacking on the mobile system. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49680943


Then a day or two later the government announces a delay on the smart meter rollout programme: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49721436


Does anyone know where the boundary between the "north" and "south" networks is?


Why is the UK so bad at implementing projects (starting with coming up with & approving a design that couldn't cope with people changing suppliers)?


Looks like I'm going to have to wait even longer for my immersion controller that cuts in automatically when electricity is cheaper than gas.


   - Andy.
  • 0
    Andy you would need a government or political party capable of joined up thinking. So it`s a long wait I`m afraid - another milenia or three methinks
  • 0
    Here's the link to the article on E&T magazine for you.
  • 0
    My Scottish Power smart meter and reader displays different tariffs to both the mobile phone app and the actual bill, even when adjusted for VAT.


    The actual bill is the lowest of the three tariffs they tell me I am paying, so I have not chased it up. Presumably the meter may be still displaying the tariff from the day it was fitted, heaven only knows where the mobile phone app got the tariffs it’s displays from.


    I retrieved the email confirming the tariffs I should be on and reconciled it against the actual bill and Scottish Power have charged ninety eight pence more than I think I should have paid, which I assume is down to the ha’pennies and farthings charged as tenths of a penny, which is millions of pounds from all their customers.


    If I change suppliers the meter will revert to being dumb.


    So all in all I rate the Scottish Power smart meter on the scale around the point where chocolate teapots are entered.


    Andy Betteridge
  • 0


    Does anyone know where the boundary between the "north" and "south" networks is?



    The North in this context is the area covered by Arqiva's network by means of a Communications Hub, which will be installed separately from the Smart Meter unit. The system uses "Long Range" Radio in the UHF band at 412-414 MHz for the uplink and 422-424 MHz fur the downlink. The network equipment is provided by a US company, Sensus and operates over a proprietary radio protocol, which has been customised for utilities messaging services. Transmit power is about a watt. (nothing UHF is  'long range' by my standards but ho-hum )

    specs of a typical northern unit https://www.smartdcc.co.uk/media/2967/standard-420-revd-sbch-comms-hub-datasheet.pdf


    In the over populated south, where there is therefore good mobile phone coverage, the operator is Telefonica UK using equipment that is in effect mobile phone equipment data links internally on 900MHZ and 2100MHz specs of a typical southern unit  https://www.smartdcc.co.uk/media/1889/toshiba_sku1_cellular_datasheet_2017-10-20.pdf

    The Contractor shall provide the Services to Domestic and Smaller Non-Domestic Premises in the Territory, where the Territory is defined by the boundaries of the areas of the electricity Distribution Network Operators (DNO) in Great Britain such that:


    a)the North including Scotland includes the DNO regions North Scotland, South Scotland, North East England, North West and Yorkshire;


    b)Central including Wales includes the DNO regions East Midlands, West Midlands, Eastern England, South Wales and North Wales, Merseyside and Cheshire; and


    c)South includes the DNO regions Southern England, London, South East England and South West England.


    More here



  • 0

    ebee:

    Andy you would need a government or political party capable of joined up thinking. So it`s a long wait I`m afraid - another milenia or three methinks




     

    That would be the people who are blaming the EU for VAT being charged on heating, power and lighting  bills hoping that the truth has been lost in the mists of time.


     Andy B
  • 0
    " the territories "  for smart metering in map form
    5099cbaa5a15aefb3f6c777cd3192c90-huge-dno-zones.png



  • 0
    As quoted from the BBC:
    "Customers are not obliged to have a smart meter fitted, but energy firms must have offered them to all UK households by the end of the new deadline.

    The promise of smart meters was that readings would be automatic, billing would be easier, and a new world of flexible charges would be ushered in.



    In practice, millions of people found they had new meters which did not work properly if they switched suppliers - and millions more have not been given the technology at all."


    Well that's a relief then. What do we think are the reasons why the rollout has been unsuccessful?

    1. Commercial interests

    2. Undeveloped communication links and telemetry

    3. No statutory obligation

    4. Poor national strategy for design and logistics

    5. Critical press anoucements


    Legh


  • 0

    mapj1:

     




    Does anyone know where the boundary between the "north" and "south" networks is?



    The North in this context is the area covered by Arqiva's network by means of a Communications Hub, which will be installed separately from the Smart Meter unit. The system uses "Long Range" Radio in the UHF band at 412-414 MHz for the uplink and 422-424 MHz fur the downlink. The network equipment is provided by a US company, Sensus and operates over a proprietary radio protocol, which has been customised for utilities messaging services. Transmit power is about a watt. (nothing UHF is  'long range' by my standards but ho-hum )

    specs of a typical northern unit https://www.smartdcc.co.uk/media/2967/standard-420-revd-sbch-comms-hub-datasheet.pdf


    In the over populated south, where there is therefore good mobile phone coverage, the operator is Telefonica UK using equipment that is in effect mobile phone equipment data links internally on 900MHZ and 2100MHz specs of a typical southern unit  https://www.smartdcc.co.uk/media/1889/toshiba_sku1_cellular_datasheet_2017-10-20.pdf

    The Contractor shall provide the Services to Domestic and Smaller Non-Domestic Premises in the Territory, where the Territory is defined by the boundaries of the areas of the electricity Distribution Network Operators (DNO) in Great Britain such that:


    a)the North including Scotland includes the DNO regions North Scotland, South Scotland, North East England, North West and Yorkshire;


    b)Central including Wales includes the DNO regions East Midlands, West Midlands, Eastern England, South Wales and North Wales, Merseyside and Cheshire; and


    c)South includes the DNO regions Southern England, London, South East England and South West England.


    More here


    So it's not Watford then! ?


    The advantage of being on the Hampshire coast is that I have no doubt that I am in the South. But wait a minute, should that be the Isle of Wight instead?

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    The Channel Islands are the furthest south,  but their electric meters probably have to speak French as the electric supplied is imported from France for the larger islands.


    Andy B
  • 0

    Sparkingchip:

    The Channel Islands are the furthest south,  but their electric meters probably have to speak French as the electric supplied is imported from France for the larger islands.




    Do the smaller ones generate their own?


    Should be plenty of solar, and from my sailing experience, plenty of wind. Mind you, it was a glorious sunset (again this week) over the Solent with barely a ripple.

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