Swapping suppliers will the smart meter still work?

Barry White · Nov 27, 2016

Hi all I am currently with British gas duel fuel and have smart meters fitted. The standard tarrif is what I am on so have some savings to be made by swapping.
Will my smart meters still funtion? or will they revert to "dumb meters" anyone swapped from BG to another provider ?
I realise Sainsburys energy is BG with a name change so all will work but deffo not the cheapest option.

LeeH · Nov 27, 2016

Unbelievably, I think they are utility company specific!

I change from BG to GB energy, saved myself a packet.

...but they went ---- up this morning ironically.

Octopus · Nov 27, 2016

Probably not. Get your existing supplier to fit a standard one and keep that in the future.

LeeH · Nov 27, 2016

You'll just have to go back to reading it monthly.

I find it incomprehensionble, the big six didn't standardise on some sort of protocol so they could all read them.

I'm keeping my analogue one until they cut me off. (Who ever my new supplier is as I have no idea as of this morning)

I won't be going with any of the big boys that is for sure.

telectrix · Nov 27, 2016

we went from BG to extra energy. they came out cheapest. we down from £160/month to £115.with them. oh, and we got a meerkat as well.

snowhead · Nov 27, 2016

There's no reason why BG and any other meter owners can't keep accessing their Smart meters and passing the info on to the new Energy supplier.

Still, that'd mean co-operating with each other.

I'm sure I read that with the next generation smart meter the protocol will be standard and all the existing fitted meters will have to be upgraded either remotely or swopped for new.
That's when they can all agree a common protocol.

Edit, just checked, it's been agreed, it's called SMETS2 and starts from mid 2018.

Reading the expected install rate, someone is on Supercrack.
1.2million installed up to July 2015
They expect to have installed 3.5 million this year, on top of the 1.2 already in.
8.5 million in 2017
13.5 million in 2018

Smart meters were a farce from the start, and will remain so for the foreseeable future.

They fitted a Smart meter at my Son's house last year, but guess what, no mobile phone signal to connect to. The had to fit a new old style meter.