[Indyk_EONNext]

At Eon Next we know Smart meters aren't for everyone and if your unsure why not join Ross Kemp as he visits homes across the nation, to find out how our customers are benefiting from their smart meters! 😊

Thinking about getting your smart meters installed!? Take a look at this video 👉 Using E.ON Next Smart Meters to track your energy usage and learn how you can save.

You can also join Elizabeth and David on their journey to having smart meters installed We've managed this long without a smart meter why start now...?







Thinking about getting your smart meter installed drop us a quick dm or find ways to contact us here How to contact E.ON Next and get your smart installation appointment booked so you to can start benefiting! 💫

[HelenaP_EONNext]

@Indyk_EONNext Thank you for sharing 😊 some great info here on the benefits of smart!

[Connor_EONNext]

Lovely post @Indyk_EONNext - some brilliant information here 😁

[meldrewreborn]

The best way to counter negative stories about smart meters is to drastically reduce the number of them that do not communicate fully. The meters themselves are in the vast majority of cases not the problem, it’s the communication that is not functioning, Given that OFGEM are stepping up compensation to customers in this sphere, this will also reduce those sort of payments.
We’re a long way down the track now with smart metering, and a lot of money has been invested into it, but that’s money that is gone - a sunk cost - we can’t get it back. So despite my view that the project has been appallingly managed, is years late and will not fully provide previously projected benefits, we should see the project through to completion.

[geoffers]

Originally Posted by meldrewreborn

The best way to counter negative stories about smart meters is to drastically reduce the number of them that do not communicate fully. The meters themselves are in the vast majority of cases not the problem, it’s the communication that is not functioning, Given that OFGEM are stepping up compensation to customers in this sphere, this will also reduce those sort of payments.
We’re a long way down the track now with smart metering, and a lot of money has been invested into it, but that’s money that is gone - a sunk cost - we can’t get it back. So despite my view that the project has been appallingly managed, is years late and will not fully provide previously projected benefits, we should see the project through to completion.

Agreed 👍, though unfortunately the media / social media etc has a lot to blame, since people with meter problems or those with an anti smart-meter drum to bang (often mis-informed) hit the headlines since "the only good news is bad news"

The majority with no issues; no interest; or just plain apathetic don't make any comments so don't hit the headlines, therefore the whole view of the programme gets skewed with a negative aspect

It's the same with everything in life - I've got a particular make of eBike motor which has performed faultlessly and I'm very pleased with. However you go onto the forums and it's only those people who have had problems/seeking help who post negatively, so the perceived view of it is that it's a flawed system. The happy users rarely post to say how good they are.

[meldrewreborn]

@geoffers

The latest statistics are out in the next few days, but if say 10% of meters are not fully functional that does indicate a significant problem. The fact that suppliers have in the past only been judged on getting new installations rather than working installations hasn’t helped. Many forum members have been trying to get their meters functioning, and faced customer services performance that was often poor. Diagnostic performance has been lamentable and us volunteers often have had to point the correct way forward.

But times they are a changing. Hopefully with extra effort from suppliers the image of smart metering will be much improved.

the problem with individual customer reviews is that the sample size is very small - usually just one. To get a true picture you need a significant number of sales to be examined and fault rates logged.

[geoffers]

Originally Posted by meldrewreborn

The latest statistics are out in the next few days, but if say 10% of meters are not fully functional ...

Ahhh - but if you're a "glass half full" sort of person it also says that 90% of meters must be fully functional 🤓

Not perfect I admit, but depends on which way you look at it👍

Is it perhaps the fault of the suppliers; lack of training; lack of understanding /interest /incentive etc which results in customers' problems being unresolved

Originally Posted by meldrewreborn

Many forum members have been trying to get their meters functioning, and faced customer services performance that was often poor. Diagnostic performance has been lamentable and us volunteers often have had to point the correct way forward....

EOn's expectation that their so called "energy experts" can see a problem through from start to end is pretty flawed. They can handle simple queries/problems which I suspect are the bulk of the cases, but anything more technical they won't have the expertise.

It seems that the people who may know the answers are not in the first line of helpdesk support - presumably working on the technical issues themselves, so no time for C.S.

I would imagine C.S are under great pressure to answer a set number of calls per day, working from problem solving "scripts" rather than having specific first hand knowledge themselves. That is where hopefully folk like us do provide assistance, maybe having worked in the industry; actually physically having smart meters; being interested in the way the system works, and in researching such problems where CS wouldn't have the time to do so

[meldrewreborn]

@geoffers

Its down to management to put in the best systems . Up till now it hasn't mattered whether the smart meters were in proper communication with the suppliers - there were no adverse consequences . Now perhaps (only perhaps ) things will start to improve.

The customer Service (energy experts is a misnomer!) can't change the culture of the organisation - that comes from the top.

[meldrewreborn]

Originally Posted by geoffers

Ahhh - but if you're a "glass half full" sort of person it also says that 90% of meters must be fully functional 🤓

Not perfect I admit, but depends on which way you look at it👍

Is it perhaps the fault of the suppliers; lack of training; lack of understanding /interest /incentive etc which results in customers' problems being unresolved

EOn's expectation that their so called "energy experts" can see a problem through from start to end is pretty flawed. They can handle simple queries/problems which I suspect are the bulk of the cases, but anything more technical they won't have the expertise.

It seems that the people who may know the answers are not in the first line of helpdesk support - presumably working on the technical issues themselves, so no time for C.S.

I would imagine C.S are under great pressure to answer a set number of calls per day, working from problem solving "scripts" rather than having specific first hand knowledge themselves. That is where hopefully folk like us do provide assistance, maybe having worked in the industry; actually physically having smart meters; being interested in the way the system works, and in researching such problems where CS wouldn't have the time to do so

The difficulty I have with the 90% being fully functional is whether we should be satisfied with that level given the maturity of the system.. In most alternative situations i can think of, that level of functionality would have us running for an alternative. But whatever supplier we're with the smart meter remains the same. Again I come back to the fact that most households are quite apathetic about their energy supply , their consumption and cost. People complain in the pub, but doesn't get things fixed.

In fact the latest stats have just been issued and of domestic electricity meters at end June 2025, 19.9m were in smart mode and 1.3m in traditional mode. But for gas meters 13.8m were in smart mode and 2.0m were in traditional mode (this excludes traditional meters and is for large suppliers only.)

So its now just under 10% of smart meters are dumb, although some households will have more than one dumb meter.


https://assets.publishing.service.go...ics_Report.pdf

[geoffers]

Originally Posted by meldrewreborn

The difficulty I have with the 90% being fully functional is whether we should be satisfied with that level given the maturity of the system..

I guess that although the system may be mature, it's design was based on the recognition that it would never be functional for the whole population...be it WAN issues due to poor mobile/LRR coverage or HAN issues because of constraints due to the buildings the meters are in.

Same could be said of the rollout of Freeview - with not-spots having to be addressed by providing Freesat, or consumers having to rely on commercial cable or satellite companies. And the same will also be true if/when they turn off the VHF radio frequencies (>=2030), since DAB has similar issues with not-spots.

In most alternative situations I can think of, that level of functionality would have us running for an alternative.

Maybe it's coming a lot too late, but hopefully they are already looking at alternatives such as 4G in the North; alt-HAN for flats & buildings with poor Zigbee connectivity; WAN connectivity via user's own internet connections etc etc

electricity meters - 19.9m were in smart mode and 1.3m in traditional mode. But for gas meters 13.8m were in smart mode and 2.0m were in traditional mode

So I guess that (ignoring SMETS1) potentially the bulk of the 1.3m ele. meters dumb issues are mainly down to WAN issues (or commissioning/configuration failures) and the corresponding gas meters (where present) are therefore not communicating for the same WAN issues. So the remaining 0.7m gas meters could be dumb due to HAN issues (or some with battery failure) - I wonder if there are around 0.7m correspondingly non functioning IHDs due to the same HAN issues