Bloody stupid smart meters

[Bloodybridget]

I did a search and can see that there are loads of threads about smart meters, but I'm so annoyed, I need to start another one.
We got a smart meter installed by our old dual fuel supplier, Ovo. It was a massive pain as our electricity meter is in the basement where there's a poor signal, so needed multiple visits and complicated shenanigans, but eventually it happened and worked.
The contract expired in January, I shopped around to look for a cheaper deal and went for Green Energy Network. Completed application and got an email saying "am working on your registration and unfortunately, we are unable to complete the switch as your meter is listed as a HalfHourlyProfileClass meter this means that your current supplier takes remote readings every half hour.
We currently are unable to support these meter readings if you would like us to take supply of your property I would kindly ask that you contact your current supplier to update the electric energy database to reflect the correct profile class."
I took this to understand that once the update had happened, GNE would be able to read the smart meter. I was wrong! They asked us for initial meter readings; doing this involved me peering at a rapidly changing display of confusing numbers and letters on gas and electric meters - I had to climb a stepladder to see the electric one - while my DP scribbled down the results. We are in our 60s and 70s (so not dead keen on standing on top of stepladders) and I would never have changed supplier if I'd known this.
We've got one of those display things that tells you how much energy you're using; why they couldn't make those able to give meter readings as well, I have no idea.
I rang GNE this morning, all they could say was that they'll be starting to install their own smart meters in the second half of this year and we'll have the option to get one if we want.
No wonder so many people refuse to have the sodding things.

^energy already is more expensive if you refuse a smart meter, the big six all only offer fixed rate tariffs if you take a smart meter.

Otherwise it is the 'tariff for fools' or the 'standard rate' one. Not even Martin Lewis appears to have spotted this^

Because it's not true, whatever the 'big six' would have us believe.

I am in the process of switching away from Eon after a year of almost daily harrassment by phone, letter and in person on my doorstep to have a smart meter fitted.

They have lied to me about 'how I agreed to take one when I switched to them' which isn't true, I have the original contract they sent me, which makes no mention of it being a requirement at all.

So they can go fuck themselves as far as I'm concerned. I'm open to the idea of a smart meter, but what I don't want is technology that doesn't work if I switch suppliers (SMETS1, waste of resources) and technology that is widely reported to be rife with problems (SMETS2).

Make a reliable product and I'll consider it, but then there's the issue about how the mobile signal isn't very good in our house, especially where the electricity meter lives, and the last three times a 'meter person' has been anywhere near our meters they've made a complete arse of it, leaving them in a dangerous condition - bits missing, gas leak, not properly earthed, you couldn't make it up.

The mobile signal is very intermittent where our meter is...so little point then. Presumably dumb meters will still be available for those who don't have a mobile signal at all (parts of Devon for example), and for those whose signal is dodgy.

Hello everyone, first of all- I'm not a mum, I am a design student from London, currently doing research on Smart Home Devices. Would any of you be willing to spare 5 mins of your time to answer a online research survey on Smart Devices and Families. Our aim is to understand how Smart Devices are being used at home, by different generations and ultimately to design more meaningful 'smart' devices.

Thanks a lot in advance...

Survey link: www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/L7XOF/

We had one installed by Ivo nearly five years ago. It’s in the under stairs cupboard in the hall. It didn’t work, so they installed a booster. That didn’t work either, so since we had to carry on reading the meters as before, we changed suppliers and have changed several times since then.
Stupid thing just winks at me every time I open the cupboard door.

I don’t need one. I use the energy I need and that’s it. I recently changed to a fixed rate (a month or so ago) with no issues not having a start meter. It won’t change my usage so why bother 🤷🏻‍♀️. A friend had a bodge job and they lost power for 4 days during installation, she has twin babies and two large dogs so finding somewhere to stay was an utter pain in the arse.