Smart Metering Consultation

The UK government has unveiled plans for all homes to be equipped with Smart Meters by the end of 2020 and a public consultation is now taking place.

Smart meters allow suppliers to remotely record customers' gas and electricity use. Although a number of different technologies, eg Cell Phone, could be used to connect the Smart Meters, the BPL/PLT lobby may well attempt to capitalise on this announcement.

Radio Frequencies (RF) up to 1.5 MHz can be transmitted over the electrical mains cable to Smart Meters, however, electric cables are not designed to carry RF and they inevitably radiate both on the fundemental and harmonic frequencies and could cause severe interference to peoples' favourite radio shows.

If a Smart Metering system using BPL/PLT technology is installed then it seems logical that companies will attempt to make money by also delivering Broadband Internet Access and Security Monitoring Services via the Smart Meter.

Initial attempts to sell Broadband Internet access via the mains failed due to the high costs, they couldn't compete with Internet delivery via Cable/Telephone ADSL/Cell Phones. If Government were to mandate that BPL/PLT Smart Meters are installed in all homes then the economics of Internet delivery via the electrical power line change completely.

The consultation on Smart Metering for Electricity and Gas closes on 3rd August 2009 and details can be found at
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/
smart_metering/smart_metering.aspx

An example of a sensible use of RF technology for Smart Meters is the use of 900 MHz wireless exempt frequencies along with 2.4 GHz ZigBee that is described in the article 'SDG&E launches 'first wave' of high-tech energy monitors' at
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/20080718-9999-1b18meters.html

Related URL's

Department for Business Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (BERR) - Smart Meter Trials
http://www.berr.gov.uk/energy/environment/smart-metering/demand-project/page45556.html

Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) - Smart Meters
http://decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/what_we_do/
consumers/smart_meters/smart_meters.aspx

Smart Metering by Power Companies
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/july2008/
smart_metering.htm

IARU EUROCOMM - Smart Meters
http://www.darc.de/referate/ausland/iaru/
eurocom/News0308.pdf

BBC News - New smart meter plan is unveiled
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8042716.stm