To cancel my smart meter installation..

[MoonStar07]

I've cancelled our smart meter installation as I'm concerned regarding radiation. I've done some research and there seems to be a lot of controversy around their usage. I mentioned to DH and he was oh right we already have a water one! Which I didn't realise and as it's under the sink I want to call the water company to remove it!!! What do you think AIBU? Does anyone work for any of the energy companies? What is the consensus ?

You got any links to research re radiation from smart meters.

We have one, its great fir showing what appliances use a lot of energy.
I was surprised how much more energy is used heating our electric shower as opposed to the shower running off the combi boiler

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/energy/10015679/British-families-at-risk-from-smart-meters-campaigners-tell-MPs.html

you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/we-do-not-consent-to-smart-meters
m.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/athome/smart-meters

I take it you have a tv, microwave , possibly a baby monitor and wifi.
Are you going to get rid of them?

There seems to be quite a discussion around it especially in the US. Class actions etc.

I've read the emissions are higher than all those mentioned?

I wish I'd cancelled mine. I booked time off work and when they came out they told me within a few minutes that they couldn't get the correct signal to install them and I would have to wait for my home to be smart meter ready.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/smart-meters-radio-waves-and-health/smart-meters-radio-waves-and-health

I wasn't aware of any concern over the actual meters until I Googled stickers for meter cupboards and came across loads of 'we don't want Smart meters' stuff.

My opposition to them is that I dont think they will make me use less fuel...the only thing that will help my bill is by fuel providers cutting their tarriffs.

I stopped reading at could be as dangerous as a "bullet from a rifle" my bullshit detector started going apeshit.

Seems from the government paper that in the UK they will do research as they are rolled out?! Well I don't want to be a lab rat!

Alas, the tinfoil hat brigade is active today.

I used to fit them wanna know the magic that makes them smart?

An sd card. They're mobile phones essentially. They text your readings out, that's it. Are you going to get rid of your mobile phones too?

We got rid of ours as it interferred with our wifi (so does our baby monitor a bit when the screen is on) of course MNing is much more important than knowing what elec we are using. Wifi was so bad DH was having trouble working from home. Smart meters removed and wifi now great all over house again (was especially bad near wall next to meters). Quite happy to not know how much it costs everytime we have a cuppa. Did make me think how strong is it if it's knocking out our unlimited (sold as super duper) wifi. . . . my DH is convinced the DC cry less but he loves a conspiracy theory then again I understand nothing about radiation from electrics and assume if being rolled out by all companies must have been tested.

I don't think radiation is the major issue.

Major issues are:

• Security when you've turned your electricity meter into a remotely reprogrammable - ie hackable - device.

• The reasons utility companies want to install the meters, ie to switch your washing machine & fridge off when it suits them.

Detailed thread here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/other_subjects/1327330-Anyone-having-a-gas-leccy-meter-replaced-with-a-Smart-Meter-Something-you-need-to-know

If all they did was text your readings out, they wouldn't be a problem.

It's the remote reprogrammability that's the killer.

Well that and the lack of transparency over what the utility companies are planning to use them for.

Combine the above with arrogance and denial on the part of the utilities about the obvious problems...

The smart meter also won't work if you change supplier as each supplier has a different kind of meter which aren't compatible. Apparently they are working on it

BTW, I said on that thread that utilities would just make soothing noises about the computers being clever and not to worry our fluffy heads about security.

And lo, a bloke from British Gas came on MN to officially promote smart meters - and said exactly that! "Oooh, transmissions will be encrypted, it will all be FINE!"

Yeah, jolly good. So as long as no one tries a password hack or phishing, it'll all be fine then.

Well I'm deffo not getting one and I'm going to ask the water company to give me a normal meter back. That's not going to be so easy! But I can be very persuasive

Have you Faraday caged your whole house as well OP, just incase?

Paul Nickson, Commercial Director of British Gas Smart Metering, demonstrates he knows naff all about it:
MN expert Q&As: Have you got a question about smart meters? Post your questions to Paul Nickson...

In particular, I notice Paul went on about disconnection regulations not changing - another reason it will ALL BE JUST FINE.

He declines to grapple with the fact that smart meters can be remotely disconnected without a warrant to enter the premises - and therefore without the magistrate's oversight they've always had.

In practice this means the utility company can, without even the expense of sending a person to your door:

• completely cut you off by admin error or finger trouble

• partially cut you off by rationing your electricity supply, called "trickle disconnection". Trickle disconnection hasn't traditionally been covered by regulation because it simply didn't exist for electricity (it's a water supply concept).

• convert your meter to a prepay meter, loaded with whatever £98935178437453 debt they've claimed you owe. Just as well they're not notorious for mucking up billing, isn't it?

I don't want one either. Sounds like a faff if you want to change supplier as they may not be compatible so could need replacing or using as a normal meter again.