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Bob,
Our Electric Smart meter communicates with the supplier by mobile phone signals.
The internal communication from the meter to the monitor in the house is by wireless, I think it might use Bluetooth technology.
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We have a smart meter for gas, but we still get meter readers every 2 months.
Every other month we get a bill in the mail based on the actual usage, in the alternative months the amount of use is estimated.
Both gas and electricity meters are outside the house, so no need to bother us.
We're on an Equal Payment Plan for both gas and electricity .............. we pay the same amount per month year round. The relevant company tells us in June or July each year whether our next year payments will be the same, lower or higher based on whether the equal payments have balanced out over the year or not.
In addition, we have a 2 step rate for the electricity ........... Step 1 calls for a lower rate as long as we keep our monthly usage below a certain level, Step 2 has a higher rate if we go above that level.
That's an incentive to watch our usage!
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Interesting IGP,
I was under the assumption the "smart" meters communicate via the actual mains cables
the indoor live monitoring one does, I'm sure........
Bob
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We have a smart meter for the electric. It reads itself once a month and sends it automatically via a mobile phone link.
For Gas, we take the reading each month and submit it on-line. It take a couple of minutes and for doing so we receive a discount on our bill.
In both cases the company takes a manual reading every couple of years as a double check but as both meters are outside there is no need to disturb us.
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Looking at my (I now realise) yearly bill - only one of the 4 meter readings was an 'actual'.
I can understand it with electricity meters, that tend to be inside, but the gas meter is outside, so it's not as if any attempt whatsoever has been made to read it. :-|
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I've had those postcards a couple of times and on both occasions I've had an estimated bill anyway!!
The latest one arrived the other day and so far I have ignored it.
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I know exactly how you feel Maggie, but here's something about one power company to gladden your heart.
We changed in September to another supplier. The old supplier wrote the usual sorry you are leaving us letter and said that we were almost three hundred pounds in credit accumulated over the year. They promised to put it into our bank account by which point I was thinking that I would still be chasing them for the money when Christmas came.
Surprise, surprise! It was in our bank within a week of them sending the letter. :-D
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Maggie how frustrating for you. Inevitably some 2-4 days after I send our reading on line, we receive a meter reader who wishes to read the meter. Why do they wish me to send them a reading in the first plasce?
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Why am I now the admin for the utility company I use?
Last night, at about 7pm, whilst I was in, all lights blazing, a postcard was pushed through my door.
Apparently they'd come to read my electricity meter - but I wasn't in!! :-0
According to the postcard, I had 2 options, go to their website and give it, or phone them up.
I tried online. I needed a reference number which 'was on the postcard you received'. No it wasn't :-|
SO, rummaged for the last bill. A long rummage, as I think paper bills are now only delivered once or twice a year.
Found it. Interestingly I notice that last year I was quite a bit in credit.
Used various numbers off the bill as a reference - nothing.
Go to phone it in using the phone number given - need the reference number to give to the automated voice.
Look on the bill. Find a general number. Eventually get a human. She suggests phoning the OTHER number. I explain that, though apparently their admin, I don't appear to be privy to the reference number, and can I give HER the reading.
She agrees I can. I ask for a breakdown of how much in credit I am. She asks for the gas meter reading as well (same provider for both), as it would be a calculation on both. I ask why it wasn't read, as it's outside - she said it may have been, but they haven't received it yet.
I need to find the key. She says she'll phone back in an hour.
WELL, you know the 'drawer' in the kitchen?
It wasn't there.
The cupboard in the kitchen with all the 'other bits', like polyfilla, screws, paintbrushes?
It wasn't there
The contents of both are still strewn over my kitchen floor.
Every container containing 'things found lying around' has been emptied.
Then, the inevitable. The cupboard under the stairs. More precisely, that chest of drawers I put at the lowest point under the stairs - now beyond the stepladder, ironing board, vacuum cleaner, rolls of lining paper, my bags of bags, bags of 'dusters', oh and I'd forgotten about the bag of things for a charity bag.
First find a torch.....
Eventually I reach the chest of drawers, the contents of the cupboard are now all over my living room floor, but, I find the key to the gas meter!!! :-D
That's taken about 2 hours so far - the time spent finding last years bill, time spent trying to put in details online, time spent finding the key - and goodness knows how long it will take to put it all back.
Read it. Then she phones. Yes, I am in credit, but last year, (after my previous bill)my payments were lowered.
My question is, WHY do I have to read my own meter?
We're charged a 'standing charge' on top of our bills. What's that for?
I am looking to change my provider, and one question will be 'Do you employ meter readers, if so, how often will the meter be read?'
I feel I should finish sorting out the debris, and not just shove it away - but it's sunny outside, and I'd prefer to be out there :-|
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