However, in some cases, your smart meter will stop sending data to your new supplier, which means you'll have to revert back to providing meter readings.Ī SMETS1 upgrade has been planned that will make these meters multi-supplier compatible - they should be upgraded remotely with no need for a visit from an installer. You can still switch if you have a SMETS1 smart meter. The first generation of smart meters (called SMETS1), which were installed at the beginning of the smart meter rollout, can temporarily lose smart functionality when they switch energy suppliers. However, upgrading the gas and electricity system of Great Britain is no small task, and that means there are some issues around smart meters and switching: First generation/SMETS1 smart meters Can I switch energy suppliers if I have a smart meter? Your energy supplier will arrange your smart meter installation, and the overall cost of the rollout is covered already in your energy bill – the same way that installation and maintenance of traditional meters are. It will not cost you anything to have a smart meter installed. Your supplier will send someone to install your smart meter and show you how to use it, and the whole process should take a couple of hours (during which you could temporarily lose power). Professional installation - your smart meter will need to be installed by a professional, which you may see as a disadvantage. Your smart meter is more likely to lose functionality if it's a first-generation SMETS1 smart meter instead of a newer SMETS2 meter (see below). If you're put off switching because you're keen on the benefits of your smart meter, you could miss out on any savings you could make by changing suppliers. Going "dumb" - the main downside of smart meters is that they can lose their smart functionality when you switch away from the supplier that installed them. What are the benefits of a smart meter?Īccording to Smart Energy GB, there are several advantages of smart meters in your home: If you're not sure about having a smart meter installed, it's worth weighing up the pros and cons of smart meters which we’ve listed below. Like most forms of technology, smart meters have their advantages and disadvantages. This display gives you near real-time information about your consumption and how much it’s costing you. Smart meters also come with an in-home display. If you have a smart meter you don't need to rely on estimated energy bills or provide your own regular readings. Smart meters work by using a secure national communication network (called the DCC) to automatically and wirelessly send your actual energy usage to your supplier. They are a replacement for standard meters, which require you to track your own meter readings and submit them to your supplier to ensure accurate bills. Smart meters are next-generation meters for both gas and electricity. What is a smart meter and how does it work? We're yet to see any evidence of this is successfully working on any scale, though. There is also the suggestion that the first generation of smart meters will be upgraded over the airwaves to behave and act just like the second generation - in other words, you'll be able to switch and keep your smart functionality. However, with a backlog of first-generation meters, it's possible some suppliers are still offering the older type. With these meters you'll be able to switch supplier whilst also keeping your smart functionality. These are the meters that don't necessarily retain smart functionality if you decide to switch your energy supplier.įrom January 2019, suppliers began to install the second generation of smart meters. The first generation of smart meters were rolled out up to the beginning of 2019. It depends entirely upon your supplier and as they roll them out. That may be down to the type of property you live in, or whereabouts in the country you are. Not everyone is currently eligible to have a smart meter installed. What that means is that over time, the cost of the installation program has been factored into your bill already. There is no additional charge for having a smart meter installed. You don't have to accept this offer - it is entirely optional and up to you as to whether you take the opportunity to have a smart meter installed. You'll get an in-home display which means a useful and interactive way of seeing how much you're spending on a daily basis or even live in real time.Įveryone will be offered an energy smart meter between now and 2025. you reading your meter and submitting that to your energy supplier), and instead send those over the airwaves to help give you accurate bills. Smart meters will do away with having to submit manual meter readings, (i.e.
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