Smart meters in Shetland?

[cmorewood]

I have a question about smart meters and whether certain locations are not eligible. I have been trying to get Octopus to install a smart meter for years in our house in Shetland, which incidentally has no mobile signal issues, to fit batteries and take advantage of the Go tariff, but each response is "we have no fitters in your area".

I have't heard and don't know of anyone locally who has been sucessful in having one fitted. I wondered if the islands were a no go area for smart meters?

I know there are plenty of highlands and islands folk on this forum, so I thought I'd try to get a definitive answer here.

Thanks,

Chris

[Thedreamer]

Octopus fitted a smart meter on Skye for my parents in law a couple of months ago.

[SteamyTea]

Been told that they require a mobile phone signal for data transfer.

Also been told that the E7 radio signal is being turned off in March, but probably won't happen 'because of COVID'.

EDF arranged to change my meter, 2 years ago, they failed to turn up. Still waiting for a new date. Get really excited when they send emails about it. But they are just round robbin ones telling me that all my power will be free, and I get to use the chairman's daughter.

At 24p and 14p a kWh, I would be round like a shot fitting them.

[cmorewood]

Thanks for the replies. The house is within a mile of open water of both Vodaphone O2 and EE mobile masts so te signal won't be a problem.

I wondered if @Stones would have any comment since he's flying the Orcadian flag?

[joth]

1 hour ago, cmorewood said:

Thanks for the replies. The house is within a mile of open water of both Vodaphone O2 and EE mobile masts so te signal won't be a problem.

I wondered if @Stones would have any comment since he's flying the Orcadian flag?

 

The north of England and Scotland use a different Long Range Radio system built by Arqiva, so entirely depends on whether they have coverage in your area, nothing to do with mobile signal

https://www.smartme.co.uk/technical.html

 

Rest of the countries use mobile phones, backed by O2.

 

 

 

[cmorewood]

"The north of England and Scotland use a different Long Range Radio system built by Arqiva, so entirely depends on whether they have coverage in your area, nothing to do with mobile signal "

 

Thanks joth, I've sent an email off to them.

[Stones]

5 hours ago, cmorewood said:

Thanks for the replies. The house is within a mile of open water of both Vodaphone O2 and EE mobile masts so te signal won't be a problem.

I wondered if @Stones would have any comment since he's flying the Orcadian flag?

 

Not sure as it's not something I've looked into (not being especially keen on the idea).  Got a couple of folk I can ask and will update if anyone of note to add.

[cmorewood]

On 31/12/2021 at 19:00, Stones said:

 

Not sure as it's not something I've looked into (not being especially keen on the idea).  Got a couple of folk I can ask and will update if anyone of note to add.

@StonesYou might want to take a look at this video. I've had batteries for 4 years on the mainland running Agile and then Go tariffs and last year the max price per kWh I paid was 12p this is despite being on a Go rate of 18p peak but load shifting to the off peak 5p rate and using the batteries to cover most of the rest saves about £450 a year for me.  When I loose the 18p peak rate in August next year, I anticipate paying 25p ish and before that I will be adding another battery which will give me over 12kwh and should see me through most of the year on 5p/kWh.

This is why I'm trying to find out info for the Shetland house, to remove the oil boiler and run it on a heat pump at 5p kWh on batteries.