Energy suppliers ignore £30 fix for ‘dumb’ smart meter problem
SMART meters that “go dumb” when customers switch to a cheaper deal can be fixed with a £30 device, as experts claim energy companies are “conveniently ignoring” the solution.
The decision by Britain’s biggest gas and electric providers not to deploy the device means up to a million smart meters, equivalent to one in 10, that could be fixed overnight are being left.
At present around half of energy customers with a smart meter who switch provider to reduce their bills find the devices “go dumb”, meaning they do not send meter readings to suppliers or display usage in pounds and pence.
Industry experts have told The Daily Telegraph this could have been avoided and not to do so was a commercial decision by companies with a vested interest in keeping customers with them.
Jane Lucy, of Labrador, a switching service, said most meters could be made inter-operable using a so-called “consumer access device” (CAD) that costs around £30 and can resolve most of the issues around switching. Labrador provides them free of charge and Ms Lucy said a number of suppliers had tested them but they were not widely adopted.
Last week, Sir Ed Davey, a former energy secretary, accused suppliers of “abusing” their position and using smart meters to trap customers.
Kaushak Patel, of Secure Meters, which designs the underlying software for the meters, said: “The network is owned by suppliers but you have thirdparty CAD providers potentially propositioning a consumer saying if you get one of these we will help you switch. “The company will say ‘why am I going to allow you to connect this device to help my customer leave?’. Ultimately it’s not a technical issue, it’s a commercial one,” Mr Patel said.
He added that the CAD was not the only fix available and that his company had partnered with another major software provider, CGI, more than two years ago to connect their systems and make them inter-operable.
It is understood that a commercial arrangement covering the whole UK with CGI costs less than £100,000 a year, while one with Secure Meters would be less than £100 per household.
A national network being developed by the Data Communications Company will ultimately connect to all smart meters and fix the problem – but the enrolment of meters on to the system will take until the end of next year.
The devices link to a customer’s Wi-fi and establish an independent data feed to allow households to continue seeing real-time costs. It also makes it easier to send readings to the supplier.
An energy department spokesman said: “A CAD cannot be used to restore full smart services when switching. The national smart metering network is live and will ensure smart meters continue to operate in smart mode when switching, with second generation smart meters already connected to it. First generation smart meters will begin being enrolled later this year.”