Working at a site today the G4S meter man turned up to replace one of the meters of an annexe building's 2-phase supply with a smart meter.

Shame it was the meter for the redundant unused phase he was replacing, but heigh-ho. (The other meter was a newer digital one as opposed to the older dial one he was replacing).

Plus, he fitted an isolator after the meter. 'We're doing it on all installations now so you don't have to work live.' Fantastic.

Great sense at last, I thought.

He then proceeded to tell me how the smart meter had a modem and a radio Tx/Rx similar to a mobile phone, and how it reported back to base etc.

What didn't make sense was that in the vicinity of the site mobile phone reception was patchy on a good day, and behind the thick stone walls of the old coach-house where the meter was you couldn't actually receive a phone signal.

I know a lot of properties in my patch can't get mobile phone reception.
So I guess there will still be job for meter readers after all?

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S George
http://www.state-it.com

Some more info on smart meters being a threat to privacy

http://www.guardian.co.uk/envi...rackers-threat-privacy

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BS 7671 electrical certificates on your iPhone/iPod

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Electrical apps for electricians and engineers on iPhone & iPad

SAme problem at one of my customers, I know for a fact that there's zilch phone signal by the intake - 2'6" stone walls.
The 'metering operative' produces an external aerial with a 5m lead and follows some fridge pipes through to the outside world. Bingo!

And is it me, but do all the newer meters with a pulsed LEDs flash at a much higher rate than the older ones? Some sort of psychological attack on the wastefull consumer?

OK, an aerial would make sense of it. I didn't hang around to see the end result of him activating it...

More bits of cable for the gardener to cut through!

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S George
http://www.state-it.com

As someone who values privacy and security of personal information greatly i find this intrusion a real concern.
After having a new smart meter fitted recently im considering lining the meter cupboard in lead. :-D

Don't forget to earth it!