[Robupnorth]

LRR Comms Hub signal issue in North of the UK. Anyone had Cellular Comms hub fitted ?

[geoffers]

@Robupnorth - I also found this document detailing the rollout of 4g up north from May 2025 - whether or not it's happening I don't know

(There are also rumours of dual LRR/4g hubs being developed)

https://smartenergycodecompany.co.uk...-for-4g-north/

20250331-Department-consultation-on-SEC-changes-for-4G-North.pdf

3. On 28 March 2025, the Secretary of State issued a non-objection letter to the DCC pursuant to condition 16.6B(c) of the DCC Licence for the extension – through the procurement of Relevant Service Capability – of 4G communications services to the north.

4. The DCC is planning to extend 4G services to the north from 30 May 2025, meaning that from that date, energy suppliers will be able to install 4G Communications Hubs in the north.

[geoffers]

Originally Posted by Robupnorth

LRR Comms Hub signal issue in North of the UK. Anyone had Cellular Comms hub fitted ?

A quick search found this... https://www.smartme.co.uk/smets-2
Also - with the impending 4G comms-hub rollout this possibly may become more viable for up-north

Use mobile network in Scotland and North
Although installations in Scotland and the North of England should use the Long-Range Radio communications system we have heard of two cases where the supplier has eventually agreed to use the mobile network by fitting a comms hub (SKU1 or SKU2) usually used in the South. In one case a T2 aerial had to be added for this to work.

In both these cases quoted to us the supplier was Octopus, although they don't seem keen to do it frequently. We hope we haven't got them into trouble by sharing this as they deserve to be commended for finding a solution to customers problems.

[meldrewreborn]

@Robupnorth

things may be easier in the future, but it is likely to be a slow process. The Commons Energy Committee took evidence on this a couple of months ago when Martin Lewis appeared. Everyone nodded and agreed that whatever works best should be used and new hubs using home broadband should be developed, so I reckon 3 years minimum, given the glacial pace of development, especially with DCC involved.

[meldrewreborn]

@geoffers

Things may move faster than I thought. The comms hubs are procured by the DCC and then issued to installer (via the energy supplier) for use. Exiting stocks will also have to be used up. It wasn’t clear to me whether 4g will just be an option in the north or the new default practice. And of course nothing related to customers and what this actually means for their smart meter installation.

i recall from another commons committee that all hubs will have to upgraded to 4g eventually, but no need for concern because they only cost about £4! Hopefully they’ll change hubs on a street by street conversion process in the main rather than single appointments.

Those of our generation will recall the way homes were converted from coal gas to North Sea gas. I think this was in the ‘60s and ‘70s, and very well managed - well that might be a rose tinted memory.

[geoffers]

Originally Posted by meldrewreborn

... the way homes were converted from coal gas to North Sea gas. I think this was in the ‘60s and ‘70s, and very well managed - well that might be a rose tinted memory.

I can remember it, but not any of the finer details.

I guess anything involving gas has to be treated more safely, and of course I think the industry was nationalised then, rather than the current open market free-for-all

From Google...

This transition, officially commencing in 1967 and lasting for about 10 years, involved converting 40 million appliances across 14 million homes and businesses.

The conversion was a significant engineering feat, requiring the modification or replacement of gas cookers, heaters, and other appliances to accommodate the different calorific values of natural gas.

[meldrewreborn]

@geoffers

the main feature was that the gas was turned off in a particular section and all gas appliances were converted and then the gas reinstated later in the day. Every gas appliance in every premises had been the subject of one or more surveys so that the correct replacement parts were available on the day. Of course, some people didn’t like the new gas, but had to accept it.

suicide by putting your head in the oven was no longer an option, so that was a good feature.

[geoffers]

@meldrewreborn - really interesting read here on the whole gas history & conversation processes - only skim-read it (211 pages 😲) but well written, so I've got the general idea 👍
https://www.wwutilities.co.uk/media/5331/lessons-learnt-from-the-past.pdf

No computers or internet then, so imagine coordinating it all!

[meldrewreborn]

@geoffers

I’ve read a lot of it but skimmed a lot as well as the experiences in the 12 regions were similar and it got a bit repetitive!

but I was amused at the thought that people could have their cooker converted to natural gas, move somewhere else and thus needed it to be converted back, and then forward again.

there were also some concerns about the variable quality of the engineers doing the conversion work in a 1972 report, which led to the establishment of CORGI.

I had forgotten the range of gas appliances there were - copper tubs for clothes, refrigerators, even fire lighting pokers, and coal gas had been around for many decades, meaning that many of these appliances were old but still functional. Which bears out my experience, as my kitchen extension was done in 1988, and the original boiler, hob and double oven are all still going and have needed few parts in that time ( boiler fans, pumps and control boxes).

An enjoyable read - thank you for finding it!

[geoffers]

Originally Posted by meldrewreborn

I had forgotten the range of gas appliances there were ... refrigerators....fire lighting pokers...

Yea - I still had a very dodgy looking (live) gas-tap sticking out of the kitchen wall which must have been for a fridge (only recently removed when I rebuilt the kitchen) plus there are capped outlets on both downstairs chimney breasts, presumably for gas-pokers and/or fires