Lower energy and fuel bills through solar panel installations and electric vehicle charging at home can often be difficult to access due to the poor connectivity of smart meters, especially in rural areas.

Too many rural communities lose out on options to lower their bills via smart tariffs, because smart meters need to automatically send meter readings wirelessly, and I’ve been working with the Government to improve this.

Sadly the Data Communications Company (DCC) network in the Lancaster and Wyre area is simply not up to standard, even in growing urban areas like Garstang/Catterall, along with particularly in the more rural areas such as Pilling and Preesall.

This means that many residents cannot access solar panels or Electric Vehicle charging despite wanting to, as they are unable to access the smart tariffs from energy suppliers, and in some more rural cases, cannot even have any smart meters as they cannot connect to either the DCC or mobile networks, depending on the 1^st/2^nd generation meter needs.

To me it has always seemed like unnecessary duplication and doubling of costs to require two separate nationwide wireless systems, one to carry smart meter readings wirelessly (the DCC network) ,and mobile phone signals via masts – all whilst often also having a home broadband network which can’t be used to automatically submit readings.

Three fractured systems, no joined up thinking, and residents stuck with higher bills.

I’m pleased that the Government have now made progress, as the Minister for Energy Consumers has now confirmed with me that:

“…energy suppliers will be able to install smart meters in the ‘North’ region which communicate using the 4G cellular mobile network from the end of May, with rollout at scale across the country beginning in July.”,

Additionally, in a move which is simply common sense, the Government have also confirmed:

Another potential solution, which the DCC and Government have decided to proceed with implementing, would involve harnessing customers’ broadband connections to carry smart metering communications. …More information on the proposal and its next steps are available online at: https://smartenergycodecompany.co.uk/desnz-response-to-consultation-on-proceeding-with-virtual-wan-arrangements-and-sec-variation-testing-approach-document-direction/.

For those struggling to access cheaper smart meter tariffs, The Minister has also shared with me some other options to get lower bills in the meantime, including:

“Energy suppliers are sometimes able to install a smart meter which has been pre-programmed to deliver a simple smart tariff, such a dual rate day and night tariff, in homes without WAN connectivity. Such a tariff would allow your constituent to charge an electric car overnight to benefit from cheaper off-peak electricity prices.”

In terms of access to home solar panels, the Minister also confirmed:

“[People] do not necessarily need to have a smart meter that is taking automatic readings in order to be paid for the electricity they generate; as some energy suppliers can offer export tariffs which rely instead on customers submitting regular manual export meter readings. I recommend that those constituents with solar panels reach out to their energy suppliers to see whether they can offer such an export tariff in the immediate term.”

You can read the full reply from the Minister to me here: