Smart meter offered by British Gas
 

Should I accept? What are the Pro's and Cons?
They add conditions to my contract, e.g. 1) Prepayment instead of
credit payment 2) I have to agree to let them "MANAGE" my gas and
elect supply. Call me old fashioned, but I don't like the sound of that.

Cheers
Don

Smart meter offered by British Gas
 

On Tue, 23 Nov 2010 14:29:54 +0000, Donwill
wrote:

Should I accept? What are the Pro's and Cons?
They add conditions to my contract, e.g. 1) Prepayment instead of
credit payment 2) I have to agree to let them "MANAGE" my gas and
elect supply. Call me old fashioned, but I don't like the sound of that.

Do you then have to stick with "BG" as supplier, or can you chop and
change?

--
Frank Erskine

Smart meter offered by British Gas
 

In message , Frank Erskine
writes
On Tue, 23 Nov 2010 14:29:54 +0000, Donwill
wrote:

Should I accept? What are the Pro's and Cons?
They add conditions to my contract, e.g. 1) Prepayment instead of
credit payment 2) I have to agree to let them "MANAGE" my gas and
elect supply. Call me old fashioned, but I don't like the sound of that.

Do you then have to stick with "BG" as supplier, or can you chop and
change?

A chum in California, who I occasionally Skype with, was having to stay
in a few weeks ago to let them fit his Smart meter. The thought it was a
good thing.

He seemed very keen on them being able to manage his supply as at
present it was random power cuts when everyone's air con fired up.

I think that's what we are having to prepare for here. Cold, still
winter's days and silent windmills.
--
Bill

Smart meter offered by British Gas
 

Should I accept? What are the Pro's and Cons?
They add conditions to my contract, e.g. 1) Prepayment instead of
credit payment 2) I have to agree to let them "MANAGE" my gas and
elect supply. Call me old fashioned, but I don't like the sound of that.

Do you then have to stick with "BG" as supplier, or can you chop and
change?

A chum in California, who I occasionally Skype with, was having to stay in a few weeks ago to let them fit his Smart meter. The
thought it was a good thing.

He seemed very keen on them being able to manage his supply as at present it was random power cuts when everyone's air con fired
up.

I think that's what we are having to prepare for here. Cold, still winter's days and silent windmills.

I didn't think "managing the supply" extended to turning your appliances on and off. Mind you,
it might have its positive side if they turned the wife's Hoover and steam iron on a bit more often.



--
G.

Smart meter offered by British Gas
 

On 23/11/2010 15:28, Frank Erskine wrote:
On Tue, 23 Nov 2010 14:29:54 +0000, Donwill
wrote:


Should I accept? What are the Pro's and Cons?
They add conditions to my contract, e.g. 1) Prepayment instead of
credit payment 2) I have to agree to let them "MANAGE" my gas and
elect supply. Call me old fashioned, but I don't like the sound of that.


Do you then have to stick with "BG" as supplier, or can you chop and
change?


I'm not sure about that, I don't think so otherwise they would fall foul
of the competition rules.

Smart meter offered by British Gas
 

Donwill wrote:
Should I accept? What are the Pro's and Cons?
They add conditions to my contract, e.g. 1) Prepayment instead of
credit payment 2) I have to agree to let them "MANAGE" my gas and
elect supply. Call me old fashioned, but I don't like the sound of that.

Cheers
Don

Some Q & As here

http://www.britishgas.co.uk/energy-e...ters/faqs.html

Looks like everyone's going to get them by 2020 anyway.

Smart meter offered by British Gas
 

On Tue, 23 Nov 2010 18:28:04 +0000, Andy Cap wrote:
Donwill wrote:
Should I accept? What are the Pro's and Cons?
They add conditions to my contract, e.g. 1) Prepayment instead of
credit payment 2) I have to agree to let them "MANAGE" my gas and
elect supply. Call me old fashioned, but I don't like the sound of that.

Cheers
Don

Some Q & As here

http://www.britishgas.co.uk/energy-e...ters/faqs.html

Looks like everyone's going to get them by 2020 anyway.


Now there's (from the FAQ) one of the scariest sounding bits
of marketing speak I've heard in a long time:

"You can look forward to some innovative
tariffs and services being offered to you"


--
http://thisreallyismyhost.99k.org/22...1116574210.php

Smart meter offered by British Gas
 

pete wrote:

Now there's (from the FAQ) one of the scariest sounding bits
of marketing speak I've heard in a long time:

"You can look forward to some innovative
tariffs and services being offered to you"


I suspect you're right, because what it will allow them to do, is make
peak energy *very* expensive, under the guise of greeness. Life's not
about to get any simpler, that's for sure. :-{

Smart meter offered by British Gas
 

In message , Andy Cap
writes
Donwill wrote:
Should I accept? What are the Pro's and Cons?
They add conditions to my contract, e.g. 1) Prepayment instead of
credit payment 2) I have to agree to let them "MANAGE" my gas and
elect supply. Call me old fashioned, but I don't like the sound of that.
Cheers
Don

Some Q & As here

http://www.britishgas.co.uk/energy-e...ters/faqs.html

Looks like everyone's going to get them by 2020 anyway.

Bet they don't do ours. The supply is medium pressure and National Grid
and BGas don't seem able to agree on who pays for alterations. After 15
years, BG wanted to change our battery operated meter but failed on 3
occasions because NGs pipe work does not suit the new meter. NG man on
call out told them to change the battery so, in the end, that is what
they did:-)

I like one reason given for needing a remote controlled gas valve.. to
prevent customer overspend:-)

I bumped into an interesting electric tariff *economy 18?* on holiday.
AFAIU no electric heating during peak demand periods.

regards


--
Tim Lamb

Smart meter offered by British Gas
 

On Tue, 23 Nov 2010 19:50:53 +0000, Andy Cap wrote:

Now there's (from the FAQ) one of the scariest sounding bits of
marketing speak I've heard in a long time:

"You can look forward to some innovative
tariffs and services being offered to you"

I suspect you're right,

Aye, that is really scary, that word "innovative" means some spikey
haired red plastic framed glasses wearing sales graduate who has
hardly started shaving let alone have an real world experiece has had
really cool idea.

because what it will allow them to do, is make peak energy *very*
expensive, under the guise of greeness.

Guise is correct as well if the tarrif varies by demand and at the
whim of the supplier people will just use what they want when they
want as keeping track of the peak periods and switch off or altering
ones schedule will be just to big a PITA.

Life's not about to get any simpler, that's for sure. :-{

It could be simple if they provided a gismo with several feeds from
it that you could program to switch on/off in relation to the tarrif.
Power is cheap; turn all the storage systems on (traditional storeage
heaters and immersions or designed heat banks). Power is expensive;
turn everything off except that which is really required. Maybe split
lighting circuits and power distribution so that stuff that isn't
essential will automagically go off at expensive times.

--
Cheers
Dave.

Smart meter offered by British Gas
 

On Tue, 23 Nov 2010 21:59:00 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:


Guise is correct as well if the tarrif varies by demand and at the
whim of the supplier people will just use what they want when they
want as keeping track of the peak periods and switch off or altering
ones schedule will be just to big a PITA.

The other PITA will be that these plans will be so 'innovative' that it will be
impossible to readily compare them as is the case now.

Smart meter offered by British Gas
 

On Wed, 24 Nov 2010 07:09:52 +0000, Andy Cap wrote:

Guise is correct as well if the tarrif varies by demand and at the
whim of the supplier people will just use what they want when they
want as keeping track of the peak periods and switch off or
altering
ones schedule will be just to big a PITA.

The other PITA will be that these plans will be so 'innovative' that it
will be impossible to readily compare them as is the case now.

Electricity currently isn't to bad if you can get through the
innovative marketing presentation to the basic facts of pence per
unit. Admitedly getting through to those facts can be hard work.

Far worse is telecoms, either fixed line or mobile, you don't stand a
chance of working out what is or isn't a good deal even from a single
provider let alone the plethora of ones that are out there.

--
Cheers
Dave.

Smart meter offered by British Gas
 

On Nov 24, 7:50*am, "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:
On Wed, 24 Nov 2010 07:09:52 +0000, Andy Cap wrote:
Guise is correct as well if the tarrif varies by demand and at the
whim of the supplier people will just use what they want when they
want as keeping track of the peak periods and switch off or
altering
ones schedule will be just to big a PITA.

The other PITA will be that these plans will be so 'innovative' that it
will be impossible to readily compare them as is the case now.

Electricity currently isn't to bad if you can get through the
innovative marketing presentation to the basic facts of pence per
unit. Admitedly getting through to those facts can be hard work.

Far worse is telecoms, either fixed line or mobile, you don't stand a
chance of working out what is or isn't a good deal even from a single
provider let alone the plethora of ones that are out there.

Choose the one that gives free calls anytime and compare the monthly
charge. Simples. Or at least I found it so.

MBQ

Smart meter offered by British Gas
 

On Nov 23, 7:50*pm, Andy Cap wrote:
pete wrote:

Now there's (from the FAQ) one of the scariest sounding bits
of marketing speak I've heard in a long time:

* "You can look forward to some innovative
* *tariffs and services being offered to you"

I suspect you're right, because what it will allow them to do, is make
peak energy *very* expensive, under the guise of greeness. Life's not
about to get any simpler, that's for sure. * *:-{

So where do I get gas fired storage heaters ;-)

MBQ

Smart meter offered by British Gas
 

On 24/11/2010 12:13, Man at B&Q wrote:
On Nov 23, 7:50 pm, Andy wrote:

pete wrote:


Now there's (from the FAQ) one of the scariest sounding bits
of marketing speak I've heard in a long time:


"You can look forward to some innovative
tariffs and services being offered to you"

I suspect you're right, because what it will allow them to do, is make
peak energy *very* expensive, under the guise of greeness. Life's not
about to get any simpler, that's for sure. :-{

So where do I get gas fired storage heaters ;-)

MBQ

When you find them let me know please ;-)

Don

Smart meter offered by British Gas
 

In message , Donwill
writes
On 24/11/2010 12:13, Man at B&Q wrote:
On Nov 23, 7:50 pm, Andy wrote:

pete wrote:


Now there's (from the FAQ) one of the scariest sounding bits
of marketing speak I've heard in a long time:


"You can look forward to some innovative
tariffs and services being offered to you"

I suspect you're right, because what it will allow them to do, is
make
peak energy *very* expensive, under the guise of greeness. Life's not
about to get any simpler, that's for sure. :-{

So where do I get gas fired storage heaters ;-)

MBQ

When you find them let me know please ;-)

Cue Drivel and thermal stores:-)

regards

--
Tim Lamb