Smart meter usage data privacy

[flatowner]

Smart meters today are front page news (Daily Mail). But I cannot find anything about data privacy. I am worried that when I change to a smart meter that information will be collected that could be hacked (Yahoo to Equifax show no company can be trusted). Knowing electricity usage allows burglars to know when you are regularly out.
Smart meters, I recall reading somewhere, have a bug fault such that a switch to a new supplier stops recording usage. Is this true or does it apply only to the SMETS1 or also to SMETS2?
Do supplier differ in privacy options and if so which offers the best control over usage data?
I would appreciate help since I am confused.Thank in advance,

 

[roys]

Easy, don’t switch to a Smart meter. Not many fans of them on here.

 

[binky]

you don't have to have the unreliable gadgets fitted.

Early versions had incompatible software so if you change company it stops being smart, or new company has to install another smart meter.

There have been billing glitches, not that many, but it's not the foolproof system it should be.

Don't know about data safety, but if it involves computers, it's hackable! 

 

[Sharpend]

Avoid the (less than) smart meters at all costs. 

You are not obliged to have one. Why would you want something that has no benefit to you but all benefits to the company using them? 

 

[Evans Electric]

I still hear references to  ..." it will save you money"  ........" Its Smart  therefore  it will  save you money "......

You will only get cheaper  bills  if you :-

1)  Stop cooking .

2) Don't use any heating .

3) Live in the dark.

4) Wash , bathe & shower in cold water . 

5)  Sell your TV  / radio/ computer .

6)  Sell your kids . 

7) Change to LED lights 

 

[binky]

part of the save money argument is that it opens up the possibility of variable tariff rates during daylight hours, ie you could have multiple off-peak windows. This will allow better utilisation of green energy from Solar farms and rooftops.  Having a smart meter in it's own right will save nothing, if you are not energy aware by now, ie fitted low energy lamps etc etc, you probably never will be.

 

[UNG]

Don't know what network the comms are on but one of my relatives has agreed to have a smart meter fitted a couple of times on both occasions the installation wasn't completed because the meter couldn't communicate with the local network.

There appears to be a bit of a mobile network black hole where she lives a few hundred yards either way up the road and it's a good signal, the thing is where she lives is on top of a hill with a number of visible cell masts so I can't understand what the problem is I would guess there must 30 or 40 houses that will have the same problem

So much for smart meters , I wonder if they will build some with remote high gain antennas to get around the problem

 

[Evans Electric]

And like the internet ...if it crashes we're all up Shirt Creek without paddles.  :C    :C     

 

[binky]

they work off mobile phone network, but do't ask me if it's EE , O2 or one of the others, so you aybe able to see  a mast, but it isn't necessarily the right network.

 

[Sharpend]

I wouldn’t trust a mobile network to provide anything! They barely manage a phone network! Had 11/2hrs on phone today to EE - who apparently have the largest network in this land, only they don’t. According to surveys and reports EE’s network is 99% coverage, all I can say is the 1% must follow me round the country, so no smart metering for me. 

 

[kerching]

I wouldn’t trust a mobile network to provide anything! They barely manage a phone network! Had 11/2hrs on phone today to EE - who apparently have the largest network in this land, only they don’t. According to surveys and reports EE’s network is 99% coverage, all I can say is the 1% must follow me round the country, so no smart metering for me. 

I thought it was only me.....EE.       EVERYTHING ERrrrrrrrr

 

[NozSpark]

I wouldn’t trust a mobile network to provide anything! They barely manage a phone network! Had 11/2hrs on phone today to EE - who apparently have the largest network in this land, only they don’t. According to surveys and reports EE’s network is 99% coverage, all I can say is the 1% must follow me round the country, so no smart metering for me. 

The problem is that their 99% coverage is by population, not by land coverage,,,, so just over 500,000 people won't have coverage

 

[Doc Hudson]

Knowing electricity usage allows burglars to know when you are regularly out.
 

How?  For more years than I care to remember most electric ovens have had a timer facility so that you can pre-set the oven to come on and start cooking the Sunday roast while you are out. Or you could leave the washing machine running while you go out to the shops so when you come back it will be ready to hang out. Or you use those cheap plug-in timers to get the table lamps to come on.  Or you just leave the slow-cooker on all day, or the microwave on its timer, so your evening meal is ready when you get back home. I can't figure out how electrical consumption data from a smart meter can differentiate between a real person in the property vs a timer controlled device!  Please elaborate?

Doc H

 

[Evans Electric]

I wouldn’t trust a mobile network to provide anything! They barely manage a phone network! Had 11/2hrs on phone today to EE - who apparently have the largest network in this land, only they don’t. According to surveys and reports EE’s network is 99% coverage, all I can say is the 1% must follow me round the country, so no smart metering for me. 

Could be your phone  Sharpie ,    my old Nocky  button phone seemed to find the network  on jobs when all the smarty farty ones had shut off .  

 

[Sharpend]

Could be your phone  Sharpie ,    my old Nocky  button phone seemed to find the network  on jobs when all the smarty farty ones had shut off .  

The thing is Deke this has been going on for years and I’ve had a few upgrades since it started, so both phone and sims have been replaced? Oddly I did have an el cheapo android phone at one point and didn’t seem to get too many problems, so I do wonder whether it’s a smart phone issue or the network isn’t capable of handling an apple? 

 

[Andy™]

they work off mobile phone network, but do't ask me if it's EE , O2 or one of the others, so you aybe able to see  a mast, but it isn't necessarily the right network.

apparantly those up north have their own seperate network, down south the use the mobile network

 Knowing electricity usage allows burglars to know when you are regularly out.

probably easier to just sit int he street and watch you leave

 

[UNG]

they work off mobile phone network, but do't ask me if it's EE , O2 or one of the others, so you aybe able to see  a mast, but it isn't necessarily the right network.

I know they work off the mobile phone network the thing is I can see all the mobile companies masts or the masts they site share on so there should not be an issue it just appears that there is some radio anomaly in this area as mobile phone reception on any network is hit and miss you only need to move 50 - 100m up the road and there is no problem.

It would be interesting to do a scan with a spectrum analyser and try to locate what is causing it, had a problem on a site many years ago where you could drive onto site and park up and lock the vehicle no problem, going back to the vehicle if you were lucky the central locking would operate or you had to use the key and when you tried to start the vehicle it wouldn't turn over, push or tow the vehicle 30 or 40m down the car park and then turn the key it started no problem

 

[NozSpark]

The thing is Deke this has been going on for years and I’ve had a few upgrades since it started, so both phone and sims have been replaced? Oddly I did have an el cheapo android phone at one point and didn’t seem to get too many problems, so I do wonder whether it’s a smart phone issue or the network isn’t capable of handling an apple? 

I had a similar thing several years ago.... complaint to the network and was told to turn off 4g and force it to be 3g only.... I asked them why I was paying for 4g ,, no answer!

 

[Sharpend]

Trying to get a network provider to accept that their network is at fault or not fit for purpose is harder than getting blood from a stone. 

 

[Evans Electric]

Don't know what network the comms are on but one of my relatives has agreed to have a smart meter fitted a couple of times on both occasions the installation wasn't completed because the meter couldn't communicate with the local network.

I'm sure a meter monkey told me the meter searches for an available  network '  

I presume they also communicate data  with the in-house   energy usage indicating    device  .     Yet another frequency passing through our living space .