Smart metering and grids

By the end of 2019, smart meters will be installed in homes across Great Britain. These meters are intended to provide customers with a greater insight into their energy use and so empower them to reduce consumption, along with their bills and carbon footprint. They can also help utilities to provide new and improved services to their customers.

The utilities industry needs to install nearly a million meters a month, across Great Britain, which represents a major logistical challenge. A simple and predictable installation process, followed by ongoing high-quality service, can lead to lower costs as well as to improved customer satisfaction.

The choice of smart metering communications technology will directly impact consumer experience, quality of service and total smart metering programme costs.

Long-range radio communications which can reach meters wherever they are located can lead to high first time connection rates, lower costs and greater convenience. If alternative technologies with lower indoor coverage are used, this could result in complex installation, higher costs and dissatisfied customers.

The choice of communications service provider will also impact the potential to introduce new energy management and smart grid services in future. Flexible communications solutions that are designed to communicate with a large number of devices in real-time will be best placed to meet future smart grids requirements.

Reliable, real-time communications with meters are also important for retailers to provide future home energy services, including rich information on energy use for some consumers that want to actively manage their consumption.

Find out more about our smart metering and grids communications solution, SmartReach