Every home and small business in Great Britain will be offered a smart meter by the end of 2020.

Measures to ensure consumers continue to get the most out of their smart meters have been introduced to parliament in the Smart Meters Bill.

Every home and small business in Great Britain will be offered a smart meter by the end of 2020, saving consumers billions of pounds over the course of this vital national infrastructure upgrade.

The Bill, first announced in the Queen’s Speech, will enable the government to continue to regulate the roll-out of smart meters up to completion at the end of 2020.

It will also help the government to act on the results of any findings made after 2020 that could improve the experience for consumers and small businesses.

The legislation will also ensure consumers are protected in the unlikely event that the company running the national smart meters communications infrastructure, currently the Smart Data and Communications Company, were to become insolvent.

This will bring the programme in line with other utilities such as water and energy network companies.

Energy Minister Richard Harrington said:

The roll-out of smart meters continues at pace with almost 7.7 million already operating in Great Britain and nearly 350,000 being installed every month, bringing an end to estimated bills and helping people to save energy and money.

Every home and small business will be offered a smart meter by the end of 2020. The Bill published today will ensure consumers continue to get the most from their smart meters once installed, during and beyond the roll-out.

No thanks.. Don't fancy having anyone, INC burglars knowing when I'm home or not if the meters wifi signal is ever sniffed.

Originally Posted by Orb

No thanks.. Don't fancy having anyone, INC burglars knowing when I'm home or not if the meters wifi signal is ever sniffed.

Most modern routers use TKIP for WPA/AES for WPA2 encryption [ ie not WEP ] so even if they do use a packet sniffer you are unlikely to be hacked if you have set a robust password.

Originally Posted by ECHOEONE

Most modern routers use TKIP for WPA/AES for WPA2 encryption [ ie not WEP ] so even if they do use a packet sniffer you are unlikely to be hacked if you have set a robust password.

Smart meters don't use WiFi, they have a GSM sim card and communicate by that network.

Most of them become "unsmart" as soon as you leave your energy supplier for a cheaper deal.

Originally Posted by EDDIE12

Smart meters don't use WiFi, they have a GSM sim card and communicate by that network.

Wish mine used wifi. It never picks up the Gas, only Electric. I'm absolutely sick of it beeping as it has 'lost connection'.
Not fit for purpose and I wish it could be removed, permanently!

Originally Posted by ECHOEONE

Most modern routers use TKIP for WPA/AES for WPA2 encryption [ ie not WEP ] so even if they do use a packet sniffer you are unlikely to be hacked if you have set a robust password.

Originally Posted by EDDIE12

Smart meters don't use WiFi, they have a GSM sim card and communicate by that network.

Users of these meters will be informed by their suppliers that everything is fine and perfectly safe. It's not! Encrypted data bursts only slow things down. GSM comms just require different tools. Using software defined radio to scan frequencies along with a few rather cheap and often free tools, encrypted data can be gained and manipulated.