About smart meters

It's not just a product, it's a smart service

 

  • A smart meter takes automatic  readings of your energy usage

  • It sends the readings via a mobile communications link to First Utility

  • We make your energy usage data available to view online

  • You receive an accurate, monthly energy bill


To be one of the first in the UK to have a smart meter, switch to First Utility today!

 

 

 

Why is a smart meter smart?

 

A smart meter is smarter than current digital and mechanical meters because it does not need to be read by a person. The smart meter takes automatic  readings of your energy usage, and sends the readings via a mobile communications link to your energy company, who use this data to produce an accurate gas and electricity bill. 

Benefits of a first:utility smart meter

 

Substantial savings can be made by seeing how you use your energy and understanding where you can make changes to reduce your usage and  lower your costs. 

We can help you to make well informed energy saving decisions. When you see how much energy you are really using, you can start making small changes around your home to save energy and save money on your bills.

 

Monitor your energy usage online

A smart meter on your wall is not much use to you without visibility of your energy usage, that’s why First Utility have created an online account that enables you to view your energy usage in easy-to-understand bar charts or line graphs. Compare electricity and gas over months, weeks, or days. Being meter smart could save you money, reduce your carbon footprint and place you in control of how much energy you use. 

Using your online account

No more estimated bills!

Smart metering will send daily readings to us, this means we can send you accurate monthly bills, and you only pay for the energy you actually use.

View a sample bill

More accurate than energy monitors

An energy monitoring unit can also tell you how much electricity you are using, but only smart meters provide accurate electricity and gas usage that isdirectly linked to how much you pay at the end of the month - so no more surprises!  An energy monitoring unit can be useful to see a quick, estimated view of your electricity usage by appliance. You can programme it with your unit rates so that it can estimate how much a particular appliance is costing you to run.

Energy monitoring units

 


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To be one of the first in the UK to have a smart meter, switch to First Utility today!

 

Can I still take a reading from my smart meter?

Yes, you can still take a manual reading from your smart meter. Refer to the How to read your meter guide for more information. However, one of the benefits of having a smart meter installed is that you do not have to take any manual reads. The meter regularly communicates with First Utility and the data is collected so that we can provide you with accurate bills.

Will I have to pay to have a smart meter installed?

No, our meter installation is free of charge for all new customers who sign up to a tariff which includes a free smart meter

How frequently will you read my smart meter?

Your electricity meter readings are recorded every 30 minutes and your gas once every 24 hours. Under normal circumstances we retrieve this data once a day so that it can be viewed by you on your First Utility online account. In cases where daily communications may be unreliable, the interval readings are stored in the meter for 40 days, giving us ample opportunity to retry the collection process.

What technology do you use to send the readings back to your offices?

To date we have deployed smart meters using several different communication technologies including PLC (Power Line Carrier), GPRS, GSM, SMS, PSTN and 868Mhz low power radio. We are currently assessing several other radio options. Depending on the individual geographical location it is likely that we will deploy either SMS or GPRS enabled electricity meters. Meters installed underground or in basements may require the installation of an external aerial. In such instances there may be an additional charge incurred to smarten up your meter.

 

We are providing a service based on a set of functionality - accurate billing, load profiles etc - which is not provided on the premise of using any one particular technology.

I have a smart meter, why I am receiving estimated bills?

There are rare occasions when we have to use an estimated read to work out your monthly bill. For example, when your supply start date occurs before the installation of your smart meter. If this happens then you will receive estimated bills until your smart meter is up and running.

What's the difference between an electricity monitor and a smart meter?

An electricity monitor, or energy monitoring unit, is a visual device that you can have in your home, which will give you a quick estimated view of how much electricity you use at certain times of the day, how much it costs and the level of CO2 your household is emitting. It is not a smart meter - only smart meters give accurate energy bills based on actual usage - but it can be useful for highlighting where you can cut down on your electricity.

Are there any reasons why you may not be able to fit a smart meter in my home?

In most cases smart meters are installed with no problems at all. Occasionally we have found that we are unable to do so due to a number of reasons beyond our control. These include:

  • A weak mobile signal (smart meters communicate using mobile technology, therefore a weak signal will prevent the meter sending the reads to our head office)
  • Where the meter is not accessible. For example, some meters are concealed in units that are located in the ground. Our engineers require clear access to the meter and enough room to move around safely.
  • Where there is not enough room to mount the meter. Our smart meter might be slightly larger than your existing meter so our engineers may discover that there is not enough space. Additionally we do not move the meter positions whilst exchanging so our engineer will not be able to complete the installation.
  • Where there is damage to the meter mounting board, meter box (including broken or missing doors) or evidence of overheated wires and/or electrical equipment around the meter, or absence of a gas Emergency Control Valve. We may be able to do some remedial work for which you may be charged.
  • Where the engineer is unable to obtain sufficient communications signal strength. If you have trouble using your mobile phone at home, this may indicate that we will be unable to complete your meter installation, although we will try an alternative network sim card to see if a signal can be obtained.
  • Where the gas meter is mounted in an outside ground meter box. Our smart metering system requires a dry installation above ground. We can normally modify the current meter box but you may incur an additional charge.

Please remember, our engineers do not know the location or state of your existing meter until they have visited your property and conducted a quick survey which includes a safety assessment of the meter installation.

Will a smart meter save me money?

Smart meters provide online visibility of your energy usage, giving you the opportunity to see where you use the most energy, where you waste energy and how you can change your behaviour to save energy and save money.

Smart meters can reduce household energy bills by 5-10% - Energy Saving Trust

Can you provide me with 100% accurate bills without a smart meter?

No. Only smart meters can provide 100% accurate bills each month, however with our iSave tariff you can submit regular meter readings to ensure your bills are as accurate as possible.

How do I get a smart meter?

Please visit our Smart as Standard tariff page to find out if you are eligible for a free smart meter and to sign up to our smart tariff.