All existing Smart meters will need to be replaced (6M) and all meters
installed this year will need to be replaced (probably another 10M).

Why?

Existing meters are SMETs 1. The country-wide network for smart meters
(which went live in November) is SMETs 2. The original aim was that
SMETs 1 meters would be upgradable, but GCHQ wouldn't accept the
security in the original SMETs 2 as good enough to prevent hacking
smart meters and switching off the supply of millions of users. (I
would presume all the SMETs 1 meters are vulnerable to this too,
and could be even moreso that the original SMETs 2 spec.)
This redesign has resulted in a significant upgrade of the SMETs 2
standard and increase in internal complexity, and it is now extremely
unlikely any SMETs 1 meters can be upgraded.

Although the SMETs 2 network is now live, it's only being used for
interoperability testing of products under development - there are
no SMETs 2 meters available yet, and probably won't be this year.
At current rollout rate, it's estimated there will be 16M SMETs 1
meters installed by the time SMETs 2 meters start becoming available.

The cost of replacing all the SMETs 1 meters completely wipes out
the predicted savings from smart metering (and most experts never
believed the savings figures in the first place).

[Radio 4 Money Programme]

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

On Sat, 29 Apr 2017 14:24:35 +0100 (GMT+01:00), jim k wrote:

(Andrew Gabriel) Wrote in message:
All existing Smart meters will need to be replaced (6M) and all meters
installed this year will need to be replaced (probably another 10M).

Why?

Existing meters are SMETs 1. The country-wide network for smart meters
(which went live in November) is SMETs 2. The original aim was that
SMETs 1 meters would be upgradable, but GCHQ wouldn't accept the
security in the original SMETs 2 as good enough to prevent hacking
smart meters and switching off the supply of millions of users. (I
would presume all the SMETs 1 meters are vulnerable to this too,
and could be even moreso that the original SMETs 2 spec.)
This redesign has resulted in a significant upgrade of the SMETs 2
standard and increase in internal complexity, and it is now extremely
unlikely any SMETs 1 meters can be upgraded.

Although the SMETs 2 network is now live, it's only being used for
interoperability testing of products under development - there are
no SMETs 2 meters available yet, and probably won't be this year.
At current rollout rate, it's estimated there will be 16M SMETs 1
meters installed by the time SMETs 2 meters start becoming available.

The cost of replacing all the SMETs 1 meters completely wipes out
the predicted savings from smart metering (and most experts never
believed the savings figures in the first place).

[Radio 4 Money Programme]

This doesn't quite make sense. I had a call from my supplier
(Scottish Power) on Thursday wanting to install a Smart meter. I said
I already have a Smart meter, installed in 2012. They said it needs
to be replaced. Are you saying thay are proposing to install an SMETs
1 meter as SMETs2 is not available yet?

I asked if it was voluntary or if they were using statutory powers of
entry. When told it was voluntary, I declined the offer. The chap
was a bit persistent but not persuasive.

In article ,
Scott writes:
On Sat, 29 Apr 2017 14:24:35 +0100 (GMT+01:00), jim k wrote:

(Andrew Gabriel) Wrote in message:
All existing Smart meters will need to be replaced (6M) and all meters
installed this year will need to be replaced (probably another 10M).

Why?

Existing meters are SMETs 1. The country-wide network for smart meters
(which went live in November) is SMETs 2. The original aim was that
SMETs 1 meters would be upgradable, but GCHQ wouldn't accept the
security in the original SMETs 2 as good enough to prevent hacking
smart meters and switching off the supply of millions of users. (I
would presume all the SMETs 1 meters are vulnerable to this too,
and could be even moreso that the original SMETs 2 spec.)
This redesign has resulted in a significant upgrade of the SMETs 2
standard and increase in internal complexity, and it is now extremely
unlikely any SMETs 1 meters can be upgraded.

Although the SMETs 2 network is now live, it's only being used for
interoperability testing of products under development - there are
no SMETs 2 meters available yet, and probably won't be this year.
At current rollout rate, it's estimated there will be 16M SMETs 1
meters installed by the time SMETs 2 meters start becoming available.

The cost of replacing all the SMETs 1 meters completely wipes out
the predicted savings from smart metering (and most experts never
believed the savings figures in the first place).

[Radio 4 Money Programme]

This doesn't quite make sense. I had a call from my supplier
(Scottish Power) on Thursday wanting to install a Smart meter. I said
I already have a Smart meter, installed in 2012. They said it needs
to be replaced. Are you saying thay are proposing to install an SMETs
1 meter as SMETs2 is not available yet?

I'm gussing, but a smart meter from 2012 might not even be SMETs 1.
It might be that it's something which won't work with some upgrade
to their billing system.

I asked if it was voluntary or if they were using statutory powers of
entry. When told it was voluntary, I declined the offer. The chap
was a bit persistent but not persuasive.

At the moment, smart meters are voluntary. They were to be compulsory
originally, but that was dropped. However, the industry still needs to
get a large number installed by 2020, and they're miles behind the
target set by government.

This is why they are installing meters which won't work when you change
supplier - they don't have any other type available at the moment, and
to meet their target, they don't have the option to stop installing new
ones.

Giant waste of money, which you are paying for in higher fuel bills.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

Yes I heard this as well.
Now considering it was only in Feb that Offgen were telling the RNIB that
talking meters need only to be requested from your energy supplier, I'd
imagine this bet is also now off the table due to the cock up.

Moral of story, get your designs security checked BEFORE you start getting
them built.

Talk about stupidity.
Brian

--
----- -
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please!
"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message
news
All existing Smart meters will need to be replaced (6M) and all meters
installed this year will need to be replaced (probably another 10M).

Why?

Existing meters are SMETs 1. The country-wide network for smart meters
(which went live in November) is SMETs 2. The original aim was that
SMETs 1 meters would be upgradable, but GCHQ wouldn't accept the
security in the original SMETs 2 as good enough to prevent hacking
smart meters and switching off the supply of millions of users. (I
would presume all the SMETs 1 meters are vulnerable to this too,
and could be even moreso that the original SMETs 2 spec.)
This redesign has resulted in a significant upgrade of the SMETs 2
standard and increase in internal complexity, and it is now extremely
unlikely any SMETs 1 meters can be upgraded.

Although the SMETs 2 network is now live, it's only being used for
interoperability testing of products under development - there are
no SMETs 2 meters available yet, and probably won't be this year.
At current rollout rate, it's estimated there will be 16M SMETs 1
meters installed by the time SMETs 2 meters start becoming available.

The cost of replacing all the SMETs 1 meters completely wipes out
the predicted savings from smart metering (and most experts never
believed the savings figures in the first place).

[Radio 4 Money Programme]

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

(Andrew Gabriel) Wrote in message:
All existing Smart meters will need to be replaced (6M) and all meters
installed this year will need to be replaced (probably another 10M).

Why?

Existing meters are SMETs 1. The country-wide network for smart meters
(which went live in November) is SMETs 2. The original aim was that
SMETs 1 meters would be upgradable, but GCHQ wouldn't accept the
security in the original SMETs 2 as good enough to prevent hacking
smart meters and switching off the supply of millions of users. (I
would presume all the SMETs 1 meters are vulnerable to this too,
and could be even moreso that the original SMETs 2 spec.)
This redesign has resulted in a significant upgrade of the SMETs 2
standard and increase in internal complexity, and it is now extremely
unlikely any SMETs 1 meters can be upgraded.

Although the SMETs 2 network is now live, it's only being used for
interoperability testing of products under development - there are
no SMETs 2 meters available yet, and probably won't be this year.
At current rollout rate, it's estimated there will be 16M SMETs 1
meters installed by the time SMETs 2 meters start becoming available.

The cost of replacing all the SMETs 1 meters completely wipes out
the predicted savings from smart metering (and most experts never
believed the savings figures in the first place).

[Radio 4 Money Programme]


Hehehehe

FFS
--
Jim K


----Android NewsGroup Reader----
http://usenet.sinaapp.com/

Andrew Gabriel pretended :
This is why they are installing meters which won't work when you change
supplier - they don't have any other type available at the moment, and
to meet their target, they don't have the option to stop installing new
ones.

I was on OVO when my two were fitted, I then moved to First U in Nov
who said they could not use them. Around a couple of months ago, they
changed their minds and said they could after all use the E meter, then
they said they could use both. The E was enabled, worked, but not the G
or IHD.

I enquired as to what was going on, they said they would send an
engineer out and a replacement G meter would be fitted within 28 days
if I were willing. There was no date set, so I rang again, they said it
was 20 days, ring them after the 20 days if not done. It wasn't so I
rang to be told it was 20 working days, so rang again after 20 wd's. At
last an appointment email, but still 20 days in the future.

Hopeless, absolutely hopeless waste of my time. I will be moving
suppliers again before they get it working, then I go through the mill
again.


Giant waste of money, which you are paying for in higher fuel bills.

Let them waste the money, they will run out eventually.

Brian Gaff formulated the question :
Talk about stupidity.
Brian

Some bodies head ought to be on the block for the incompetence.

On 29/04/2017 17:13, Harry Bloomfield wrote:
Brian Gaff formulated the question :
Talk about stupidity.

Some bodies head ought to be on the block for the incompetence.

An overused figure of speech, unfortunately.

--
Max Demian

"Harry Bloomfield" wrote in message
news
Andrew Gabriel pretended :
This is why they are installing meters which won't work when you change
supplier - they don't have any other type available at the moment, and
to meet their target, they don't have the option to stop installing new
ones.

I was on OVO when my two were fitted, I then moved to First U in Nov who
said they could not use them. Around a couple of months ago, they changed
their minds and said they could after all use the E meter, then they said
they could use both. The E was enabled, worked, but not the G or IHD.

I enquired as to what was going on, they said they would send an engineer
out and a replacement G meter would be fitted within 28 days if I were
willing. There was no date set, so I rang again, they said it was 20 days,
ring them after the 20 days if not done. It wasn't so I rang to be told it
was 20 working days, so rang again after 20 wd's. At last an appointment
email, but still 20 days in the future.

Hopeless, absolutely hopeless waste of my time. I will be moving suppliers
again before they get it working, then I go through the mill again.


Giant waste of money, which you are paying for in higher fuel bills.

Let them waste the money, they will run out eventually.

Trouble is you pay for all that waste in what you pay for those services.

Rod Speed explained on 29/04/2017 :
Trouble is you pay for all that waste in what you pay for those services.

We will pay for it anyway, the sooner the money runs out, the sooner
sense is achieved.

Harry Bloomfield wrote
Rod Speed wrote

Trouble is you pay for all that waste in what you pay for those services.

We will pay for it anyway,

Nothing like as much for a well designed secure universal smart meter.

the sooner the money runs out,

It never will, they'll just keep gouging you consumers to pay for the
meters.

the sooner sense is achieved.

Fantasy, you watch.

On Sat, 29 Apr 2017 18:37:46 +0100, Max Demian
wrote:

On 29/04/2017 17:13, Harry Bloomfield wrote:
Brian Gaff formulated the question :
Talk about stupidity.

Some bodies head ought to be on the block for the incompetence.

An overused figure of speech, unfortunately.

And under-punctuated.

On 30/04/17 17:35, Scott wrote:
On Sat, 29 Apr 2017 18:37:46 +0100, Max Demian
wrote:

On 29/04/2017 17:13, Harry Bloomfield wrote:
Brian Gaff formulated the question :
Talk about stupidity.

Some bodies head ought to be on the block for the incompetence.

An overused figure of speech, unfortunately.

And under-punctuated.

And misspelt

Somebody's....


--
Canada is all right really, though not for the whole weekend.

"Saki"

On Saturday, April 29, 2017 at 12:34:20 PM UTC+1, Andrew Gabriel wrote:
All existing Smart meters will need to be replaced (6M) and all meters
installed this year will need to be replaced (probably another 10M).

Why?

Existing meters are SMETs 1. The country-wide network for smart meters
(which went live in November) is SMETs 2. The original aim was that
SMETs 1 meters would be upgradable, but GCHQ wouldn't accept the
security in the original SMETs 2 as good enough to prevent hacking
smart meters and switching off the supply of millions of users. (I
would presume all the SMETs 1 meters are vulnerable to this too,
and could be even moreso that the original SMETs 2 spec.)
This redesign has resulted in a significant upgrade of the SMETs 2
standard and increase in internal complexity, and it is now extremely
unlikely any SMETs 1 meters can be upgraded.


Classic FM listeners will be bored by the frequent plugs for smart meters. The punch line is that they will save costs on cooking. How's that going to work? Do you cook in the middle of the night.

On Sat, 29 Apr 2017 11:31:04 -0000 (UTC), Andrew Gabriel wrote:

All existing Smart meters will need to be replaced (6M)

... and all meters installed this year will need to be replaced
(probably another 10M).

10M, in a year, that's going some. Like a meter installed every 3
seconds, 24/7/365. Lets say it takes two hours to swap a meter and a
technician works normal hours, 1680 hours/year or 840 meters/year.
That means there are about 12,000 of these technicians out there. Oh
yeah....

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Saturday, 29 April 2017 15:07:15 UTC+1, Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article ,
Scott writes:
On Sat, 29 Apr 2017 14:24:35 +0100 (GMT+01:00), jim k wrote:
(Andrew Gabriel) Wrote in message:
All existing Smart meters will need to be replaced (6M) and all meters
installed this year will need to be replaced (probably another 10M).

Why?

Existing meters are SMETs 1. The country-wide network for smart meters
(which went live in November) is SMETs 2. The original aim was that
SMETs 1 meters would be upgradable, but GCHQ wouldn't accept the
security in the original SMETs 2 as good enough to prevent hacking
smart meters and switching off the supply of millions of users. (I
would presume all the SMETs 1 meters are vulnerable to this too,
and could be even moreso that the original SMETs 2 spec.)
This redesign has resulted in a significant upgrade of the SMETs 2
standard and increase in internal complexity, and it is now extremely
unlikely any SMETs 1 meters can be upgraded.

Although the SMETs 2 network is now live, it's only being used for
interoperability testing of products under development - there are
no SMETs 2 meters available yet, and probably won't be this year.
At current rollout rate, it's estimated there will be 16M SMETs 1
meters installed by the time SMETs 2 meters start becoming available.

The cost of replacing all the SMETs 1 meters completely wipes out
the predicted savings from smart metering (and most experts never
believed the savings figures in the first place).

[Radio 4 Money Programme]

This doesn't quite make sense. I had a call from my supplier
(Scottish Power) on Thursday wanting to install a Smart meter. I said
I already have a Smart meter, installed in 2012. They said it needs
to be replaced. Are you saying thay are proposing to install an SMETs
1 meter as SMETs2 is not available yet?

I'm gussing, but a smart meter from 2012 might not even be SMETs 1.
It might be that it's something which won't work with some upgrade
to their billing system.

I asked if it was voluntary or if they were using statutory powers of
entry. When told it was voluntary, I declined the offer. The chap
was a bit persistent but not persuasive.

At the moment, smart meters are voluntary. They were to be compulsory
originally, but that was dropped. However, the industry still needs to
get a large number installed by 2020, and they're miles behind the
target set by government.

This is why they are installing meters which won't work when you change
supplier - they don't have any other type available at the moment, and
to meet their target, they don't have the option to stop installing new
ones.

Giant waste of money, which you are paying for in higher fuel bills.

It sounds like they've cocked up at nearly every point. The meters don't meter load correctly, they don't have a proper user display, they're not all compatible with all suppliers, they failed security clearance, they offer no significant advantage to anyone except remote disconnection, and an idiotic political program means that they've got to keep installing them regardless. The latter part is especially stupid.

In a more sensible world, politicians would not have leaned on suppliers, so they would not be rolled out fast & widely until they were more sorted out, and until suppliers regarded it as worth their while to do costwise. So often I wish politicians would b off and leave people who know what they're doing to continue being relatively sensible.

https://www.smartenergygb.org/en/sma...ut-the-rollout

Quote "Theyll give you more control over your energy use,"

rubbish

"help you understand your bills"

rubbish

"and allow you to see what the energy you use is costing you.

rubbish

"Smart meters will also benefit Britain as a whole."

rubbish

Yet another area where we'd be better off without politician interference.


NT

The Natural Philosopher Wrote in message:
On 30/04/17 17:35, Scott wrote:
On Sat, 29 Apr 2017 18:37:46 +0100, Max Demian
wrote:

On 29/04/2017 17:13, Harry Bloomfield wrote:
Brian Gaff formulated the question :
Talk about stupidity.

Some bodies head ought to be on the block for the incompetence.

An overused figure of speech, unfortunately.

And under-punctuated.

And misspelt

Somebody's....


Splutter!!
Compared to some of
your efforts that's pretty much perfection ...

--
Jim K


----Android NewsGroup Reader----
http://usenet.sinaapp.com/

tabbypurr wrote:

The meters don't meter load correctly

Was that test put to be bed or not? Sounded like dutch 3-phase meters
measuring certain types of "peaky" loads, I don't expect smart meters
actually measure any differently to dumb electronic meters.

they don't have a proper user display

They have an IHD, what's wrong with that?

they're not all compatible with all suppliers

True enough

they failed security clearance

Ditto

they offer no significant advantage to anyone except remote disconnection

I have certainly found mine convenient, less so now I've moved supplier,
and given that I work from home far more, being "in" for a meter reader
is less of a problem anyway.

In article ,
therustyone wrote:
Classic FM listeners will be bored by the frequent plugs for smart
meters. The punch line is that they will save costs on cooking. How's
that going to work? Do you cook in the middle of the night.

Perhaps the current generation need a smart meter to tell them that using
electricity when not needed costs them money. Older ones will probably
already know that.

--
*Warning: Dates in Calendar are closer than they appear.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Mon, 01 May 2017 11:00:19 +0100, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

Perhaps the current generation need a smart meter to tell them that
using electricity when not needed costs them money.

Probably not far from the mark. Came across an FAQ on one suppliers
site that had an answer explained that a "fixed price tariff" did not
mean you only paid X amount per month (by DD) full stop. But that it
meant the price per unit was fixed and the regular monthly payment
was calculated to cover the expected use and could vary up or down
depending on useage.

--
Cheers
Dave.

In article l.net,
Dave Liquorice writes
On Mon, 01 May 2017 11:00:19 +0100, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

Perhaps the current generation need a smart meter to tell them that
using electricity when not needed costs them money.

Probably not far from the mark. Came across an FAQ on one suppliers
site that had an answer explained that a "fixed price tariff" did not
mean you only paid X amount per month (by DD) full stop. But that it
meant the price per unit was fixed and the regular monthly payment
was calculated to cover the expected use and could vary up or down
depending on useage.


You don't think FAQs on suppliers sites are generated by real customer
questions do you?
--
bert

On Mon, 01 May 2017 11:00:19 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

In article ,
therustyone wrote:
Classic FM listeners will be bored by the frequent plugs for smart
meters. The punch line is that they will save costs on cooking. How's
that going to work? Do you cook in the middle of the night.

Perhaps the current generation need a smart meter to tell them that using
electricity when not needed costs them money. Older ones will probably
already know that.

Current generation ... I like it.

My great aunt used to say that, if you left the socket switched on
with nothing plugged, in the electricity would escape through the
holes and increase the electricity bill.

On Monday, 1 May 2017 21:16:04 UTC+1, Scott wrote:
On Mon, 01 May 2017 11:00:19 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:
In article ,
therustyone wrote:

Classic FM listeners will be bored by the frequent plugs for smart
meters. The punch line is that they will save costs on cooking. How's
that going to work? Do you cook in the middle of the night.

Perhaps the current generation need a smart meter to tell them that using
electricity when not needed costs them money. Older ones will probably
already know that.

Current generation ... I like it.

My great aunt used to say that, if you left the socket switched on
with nothing plugged, in the electricity would escape through the
holes and increase the electricity bill.

If it were in bad enough condition it might. Slightly.


NT

On Mon, 01 May 2017 21:16:02 +0100, Scott wrote:

On Mon, 01 May 2017 11:00:19 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

In article ,
therustyone wrote:
Classic FM listeners will be bored by the frequent plugs for smart
meters. The punch line is that they will save costs on cooking.
How's that going to work? Do you cook in the middle of the night.

Perhaps the current generation need a smart meter to tell them that
using electricity when not needed costs them money. Older ones will
probably already know that.

Current generation ... I like it.

My great aunt used to say that, if you left the socket switched on with
nothing plugged, in the electricity would escape through the holes and
increase the electricity bill.

I remember having to recommend a new FM radio for a retired friend of my
mother, many moons ago.

The obvious model was unaccaptable: "I have to turn the volume control a
long way before I can hear it properly, so it must be using the battery
faster". Not the type of person you could explain Class B to.



--
My posts are my copyright and if @diy_forums or Home Owners' Hub
wish to copy them they can pay me £1 a message.
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org
*lightning surge protection* - a w_tom conductor

On Mon, 01 May 2017 21:16:02 +0100, Scott
wrote:

On Mon, 01 May 2017 11:00:19 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

In article ,
therustyone wrote:
Classic FM listeners will be bored by the frequent plugs for smart
meters. The punch line is that they will save costs on cooking. How's
that going to work? Do you cook in the middle of the night.

Perhaps the current generation need a smart meter to tell them that using
electricity when not needed costs them money. Older ones will probably
already know that.

Current generation ... I like it.

My great aunt used to say that, if you left the socket switched on
with nothing plugged, in the electricity would escape through the
holes and increase the electricity bill.

James Thurber, the American humourist, wrote a similar story about one
of his relatives in The New Yorker in the forties. Not that I read it
in either the forties or The New Yorker: it was reprinted in an
anthology "The Thurber Carnival" some years later where I read it when
I was in my teens.

Nick

On Mon, 1 May 2017 19:45:55 +0100, bert wrote:

Perhaps the current generation need a smart meter to tell them
that
using electricity when not needed costs them money.

Probably not far from the mark. Came across an FAQ on one
suppliers
site that had an answer explained that a "fixed price tariff" did
not
mean you only paid X amount per month (by DD) full stop. But that
it
meant the price per unit was fixed and the regular monthly payment
was calculated to cover the expected use and could vary up or down
depending on useage.

You don't think FAQs on suppliers sites are generated by real customer
questions do you?

Certainly not one to one but I would expect a general representation.
That one caught my eye as I've not seen it before and "how can anyone
be so stupid"... Even marketing types aren't that stupid. B-)

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Mon, 1 May 2017 13:29:58 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

On Monday, 1 May 2017 21:16:04 UTC+1, Scott wrote:
On Mon, 01 May 2017 11:00:19 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:
In article ,
therustyone wrote:

Classic FM listeners will be bored by the frequent plugs for smart
meters. The punch line is that they will save costs on cooking. How's
that going to work? Do you cook in the middle of the night.

Perhaps the current generation need a smart meter to tell them that using
electricity when not needed costs them money. Older ones will probably
already know that.

Current generation ... I like it.

My great aunt used to say that, if you left the socket switched on
with nothing plugged, in the electricity would escape through the
holes and increase the electricity bill.

If it were in bad enough condition it might. Slightly.

You mean, if a seven year old decided to prod something into the hole
to check perhaps ...

"Scott" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 1 May 2017 13:29:58 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

On Monday, 1 May 2017 21:16:04 UTC+1, Scott wrote:
On Mon, 01 May 2017 11:00:19 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:
In article ,
therustyone wrote:

Classic FM listeners will be bored by the frequent plugs for smart
meters. The punch line is that they will save costs on cooking.
How's
that going to work? Do you cook in the middle of the night.

Perhaps the current generation need a smart meter to tell them that
using
electricity when not needed costs them money. Older ones will probably
already know that.

Current generation ... I like it.

My great aunt used to say that, if you left the socket switched on
with nothing plugged, in the electricity would escape through the
holes and increase the electricity bill.

If it were in bad enough condition it might. Slightly.

You mean, if a seven year old decided to prod something into the hole
to check perhaps ...

I assumed he meant that if it was in bad enough condition
to have some of the bakelite etc burnt enough, it might
conduct a minimal amount of current when switched on
even if there was nothing plugged in.

In article l.net,
"Dave Liquorice" writes:
On Sat, 29 Apr 2017 11:31:04 -0000 (UTC), Andrew Gabriel wrote:

All existing Smart meters will need to be replaced (6M)

... and all meters installed this year will need to be replaced
(probably another 10M).

10M, in a year, that's going some. Like a meter installed every 3
seconds, 24/7/365. Lets say it takes two hours to swap a meter and a
technician works normal hours, 1680 hours/year or 840 meters/year.
That means there are about 12,000 of these technicians out there. Oh
yeah....

I vaguely recall hearing somewhere they get 30 minutes to do an install,
or an hour for dual fuel. Probably another 30 mins for paperwork and
traveling between jobs.

When I had a meter changed a few years ago (not for a smart one), it
probably took no more that 15 mins. OTOH, they'll get the occational
one where the main cutout falls to bits or installation is in too
bad a state to touch. These get referred back to proper network
engineers. The smart meter installers are not electricians - they've
been trained to do just the one job, and only if it can be done
without anything special needing doing.

Yes, loads have been recruited - ISTR 8000 was the target, although
they were struggling initially at least to get the numbers.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]