Energy suppliers are in the process of offering smart gas and electricity meters to every home and small business in Great Britain. These next-generation meters automatically relay data about your energy consumption to your supplier, removing the need for manual meter readings and estimated bills.
They also transmit that data to an in-home display, where you can see how much energy you’re using in real-time, in both units of energy and pounds and pence. Smart meters are therefore intended to help consumers understand their energy use and identify energy savings they can make.
As of the spring of 2022, there are around 18 million smart meters live in Great Britain. They’re split between the first-generation SMETS1 meters, primarily installed between 2013 and 2018, and the newer SMETS2, installed since 2018. But how do I know which one I have?
The main difference between the meters is how they convey readings to your energy supplier. SMETS1 meters use a mobile network to send the data, while SMETS2 meters use a secure smart data network called the DCC.
Sometimes SMETS1 meters lose functionality when the customer switches to a new supplier. While the customer can still see data from the meter on their in-home display, meter readings are no longer being automatically sent to their supplier. However, there is a software fix to connect these older meters to the DCC network used by SMETS2 meters and restore their functionality. These meters can be connected remotely, without the need for a visit from an installer or any action from the customer.
SMETS2 meters are cross-compatible with other SEMTS2-ready energy suppliers so don’t lose functionality when the customer moves to a new company. They’re also more secure, better support pre-payment services, and are better suited to high-rise flats, where the meter and the in-home display are far apart, and to basements, which may not receive the mobile signal that SMETS1 meters use.
The only definitive way to know if your smart meter is SMETS1 or SMETS2 is to contact your supplier. However, if your meter was installed before the installation of the SMETS2 meters began in 2018, it’s safe to assume it’s SMETS1.
As of March 2019, energy suppliers cannot count SMETS1 meters toward their installation targets. However, some suppliers continued to install SMETS1 meters beyond this date as they had leftover stock. Therefore, a more recently installed meter could be a first-generation device.
Sometimes the serial number on the meter can help you identify which type it is. SMETS1 meters should have a serial number beginning with 19P, while SMETS2 meters should have a number beginning with 19M.
SMETS2 meters are also likely to have a device on the top, marked Telefonica, Arqiva, WNC, or Toshiba and with two to five LED lights.
As of the summer of 2021, all SMETS1 meters should have been migrated over to the DCC network and regained functionality, so it’s less important to know which type of smart meter you have.