[Tek]

Hi Folks,

I hope all is well. We had smart meters installed a month ago and they are still not operating in smart mode due to issues with "signal in my area" Reading the electricity meter is straight forward in kWh but when I press 9 on the keypad it cycles through a number of screens. I can't find anything online and I called E-on Next and they did not help!! The screens I see are in the following order are:

Volume - and figure in m3
Active Report - a figure in kWh
Volume Test - and a figure in m3
Active Report Test - and a figure in kWh
Base Values - temperature and pressure figures
Cost Since Bill - figure in £ and pence
Used Since Bill - a figure in m3
Used Since Bill - figure in kWh

Can I just confirm that it's the Used Since Bill with the figure in m3 that I submit via my dashboard online please?

If not can someone please let me know the figure to submit.

In general I have to say this has all got very complicated. We even have an EV and cannot move to and EV tariff either to compliment the smart meter. Really disappointing. The other disappointing thing is that they are giving me a very, very vague response about signal issues with no timescale as to when it shall be resolved although I note the energy ombudsman can get involved after 8 weeks. I'd rather not have to go down that route but we shall see.

It would be good if someone from the Smart Meter team monitored this forum too - but not sure if they do.

Anyway many thanks in advance and also for reading my moans and gripes about the process so far. Cathartic typing it out!!

Much appreciated

[meldrewreborn]

@Tek

NO!

You need to submit the volume in cubic metres figure (m3).

[meldrewreborn]

@Tek If there is no signal in your area (where approximately are you? North and South have different systems and there are local drop out zones too) , then you probably face a long and frustrating time getting this resolved if ever.. Sorry if that sounds pessimistic but that's my take on the issues many others have had.

There are ways to boost the signal using different communication hubs (as attached to the electric meter) but the possible solutions are quite limited.
@retrotecchie can advise once you tell us the approximate area of your home.

[Tek]

@meldrewreborn thanks for the prompt response. So the second last entry of my list is the one then. Some of the screens as it cycles round are called the same thing and some of the other screens have m3 entries. So it’s definitely the one entitled - Used Since Bill with the m3 unit of measure? Cheers

[Tek]

@meldrewreborn Thanks once more for the response. I’m in Scotland in a village called Markinch in Fife. 30 mins drive from St Andrews and Dundee and 1 hours drive from Edinburgh approximately. So semi rural with countryside and hills nearby but not deep in the Scottish wilderness. I’m sure when I mentioned this before it was pointed out that if I’m within 25 mile radius of emergency services then their radio Comms can affect things. Surely though this would affect a heck of a lot of people and that they’d account for this. I’m just peeved that it’s not working as promised and I don’t see any of the benefits - namely automated readings and a competitive tariff for our EV. Also, the lack of detailed response and timescale to fix also irks me. Cheers

[meldrewreborn]

@Tek

NO NO NO

Its the first on your list which is the cumulative volume.

[Tek]

@meldrewreborn Thanks for the clarification! Understood. I wonder why EoN could not have told me this. They also need to update their guides.

[retrotecchie]

Originally Posted by Tek

@meldrewreborn Thanks for the clarification! Understood. I wonder why EoN could not have told me this. They also need to update their guides.

Sounds like you are not too far from Detroit Road Glenrothes. That might possibly cause interference as their Tetra gear is in an adjacent band to the LRR communication and if the signal level is rather high, which I suspect it may be, then possibly it might be swamping your signal. The target systems in the Police firing ranges originally used 418MHz and the interference from the mast meant going over to a hard wired system. Even changing to a 435MHz comms didn't help much. Have you spoken to any neighbours to see if they have smart meters and are experiencing similar issues? It may just be a simple matter like a quirk of geography and range to the nearest LRR node, but my money is on the interference.

[Tek]

@retrotecchie many thanks for the detailed response. I’ll have a chat with some of the neighbours but I suspect I’m one of the few that has one here.

All I’d like is for EonNext to give me a bit of detailed response as to when the signal issue in my area will be remedied (if at all possible) and a timeframe to try and resolve which they seem reluctant to provide.We wouldn’t and shouldn’t take this level of vagueness if we had domestic broadband, telecoms or mobile phone issues with our suppliers. i can get a service status portal for all of the aforementioned. It’s the right thing to do to manage customer expectations.

I have been inundated with marketing materials over the past 3 years urging me to switch to a smart meter and now experience sub par customer satisfaction after pushing the button on an installation.

Suspect you may be right about the Tetra interference from the local police HQ and that the energy supplier don’t want to admit it. I’d rather have some honesty as they would go back up in my estimation.

Cheers

[retrotecchie]

Originally Posted by Tek

@retrotecchie many thanks for the detailed response. I’ll have a chat with some of the neighbours but I suspect I’m one of the few that has one here.

All I’d like is for EonNext to give me a bit of detailed response as to when the signal issue in my area will be remedied (if at all possible) and a timeframe to try and resolve which they seem reluctant to provide.We wouldn’t and shouldn’t take this level of vagueness if we had domestic broadband, telecoms or mobile phone issues with our suppliers. i can get a service status portal for all of the aforementioned. It’s the right thing to do to manage customer expectations.

I have been inundated with marketing materials over the past 3 years urging me to switch to a smart meter and now experience sub par customer satisfaction after pushing the button on an installation.

Suspect you may be right about the Tetra interference from the local police HQ and that the energy supplier don’t want to admit it. I’d rather have some honesty as they would go back up in my estimation.

Cheers

Any service portal would have to be provided by DCC rather than the energy companies themselves as they are ultimately responsible for the smart communications and data handling. As a bill-payer funded government organisation running as a quango with no transparency or interface with the great unwashed (I.e. Us punters) I don't see that happening. Rather like trying to get a self-service portal with the FSB and the Kremlin. What they do is rather arcane and definitely behind closed doors. OFGEM have some small influence over the rest of the industry but they have no teeth when it comes to the machinations of the DCC. They publish some information related to smart metering, but usually spin their own achievements and rather gloss over their failings.