There’s no additional charge for getting a smart meter installed. That’s because the cost of the nationwide smart meter rollout is covered within every supplier’s energy bills. Just like part of your bills goes towards the upkeep and replacement of meters and infrastructure, another small part goes towards the cost of smart meter installations.

"A smart meter will save you money"

Smart meters give you more control over your energy use by providing accurate readings, so you only pay for what you use. You can also keep an eye on your energy use via your In-Home Display and the OVO app. This lets you track your costs and understand where you’re using the most energy. These insights can help you see where you could make changes to your energy use. But if you don't take action to use less energy, you won't save any money just by getting a smart meter.

"Smart meters are harmful to your health"

Some people worry that smart meters (like mobile phones, WiFi, and satellite TV) emit low-frequency radio waves that could be harmful to people who are sensitive to electromagnetic fields. Yet this is one myth that’s been resoundingly dismissed. Public Health England has found no evidence of any health risks. They’ve introduced strict product standards to make sure smart meters are safe, and they’ll continue to check for any ill effects as more and more homes get their new meters.

"A smart meter needs the internet to work"

No, an internet connection isn’t necessary for smart meters to work. They communicate via a separate, secure national Wide Area Network (WAN) using mobile-phone or radio masts, depending on your location. If you live in northern areas of the UK, smart meters use long-range radio technology, while in central and southern areas, they use cellular and wireless mesh technology.

"A smart meter isn’t secure"

Smart meters have their own closed communications system. Your data will only be seen by you and your energy supplier.Smart meters use 2 secure networks to communicate:

• Home Area Network (HAN):

  so your meters can talk to each other

• Wide Area Network (WAN):

  to send us your meter readings

These are not the same as a wifi connection. Smart meters don’t need to use the internet so there’s no need for a wifi connection. We use safety measures to make sure that any data your smart meter shares with us is always safe and private. We also follow strict rules set out by the industry regulator, Ofgem. And you’re always protected under UK General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act 2018, which sets out rights and obligations about the use of personal data. For more information, go to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Find out more about smart meter safety and security.’

Smart meter data

Smart meters send readings automatically, on a half-hourly, daily or in some cases monthly basis for billing and settlements. When you book an appointment, the default position is that your smart meter will send us half hourly readings for settlements, and you can choose between half-hourly, daily or monthly for billing. We recommend choosing half-hourly readings for both. This helps you easily see how much energy you are using and where you can save. You can change how often your meter sends readings in your OVO online account or OVO app.

"You have to have a smart meter"

Although energy suppliers are obliged to offer smart meters to all their customers, you don't have to accept an installation. But the industry is now only making smart meters, so there is limited availability of older meter types. The latest smart meters are SMETS2 – the only type of meter that OVO installs.

"You can’t get a smart meter if you're renting"

As long as you’re the one paying the bills, you can get a smart meter. It’s a good idea to let your landlord know before going ahead with installation. Take a look at our renter’s guide to smart meters for more information.

"You can’t switch suppliers with a smart meter"

Yes you can. Find out more in our guide about switching suppliers with a smart meter. Thinking about switching to OVO? Find out more about our energy plans and then get a quote.

"The installation can take hours and leave you with no power"

This would only happen in very unusual circumstances. It usually takes about 75 minutes to replace one meter, or around 100 minutes to change both gas and electricity meters. Your power will be switched off during installation, for about 30 minutes each if you are having both meters changed. Appointments are available Monday to Friday, with time slots to choose from between 8am to 12 noon, 10am to 2pm, 12 noon to 4pm, or 2pm to 6pm. These are the time slots for our engineer to arrive, not the full installation time. For example, if you choose the morning slot, the engineer might arrive around 11:30am and stay until after 12:30pm. You’ll need to be home to let our engineer in, and stay until the work’s finished.

"You need to change energy tariff to get a smart meter"

You shouldn't need to switch to a new energy tariff when you get a smart meter. However, some customers with an RTS (Radio Teleswitch Service) meter will need to change energy tariff - we offer a range of tariffs and will recommend an alternative. If you currently Pay As You Go, your smart meter will be set up as a prepayment meter. Your tariff and payment method won't change.

"Smart meters can 'turn dumb' or stop responding"

The first generation, SMETS1 smart meters, could lose smart features when switching, due to the different communications systems they used. The latest smart meters are SMETS2 – the only type of meter that OVO installs. They all use the same communication system, through a standalone, secure network operated by the Data Communications Company (DCC). SMETS2 meters have the same features as SMETS1, but the communications system they use makes sure they’ll keep working if you change suppliers.  The DCC has remotely upgraded SMETS1 meters’ software, moving them onto the same network as SMETS2 meters. This allows people to switch suppliers without the meter losing any of its smart features.

"Smart meters make your energy bills higher"

Getting a smart meter installed won’t increase your bills. There are no hidden charges or effects on your usage. If you didn’t give regular meter readings with your traditional meter, your previous bills may have been underestimated. Once you get a smart meter, your bills will be based on automatic readings rather than estimated ones, so you’ll only pay for the energy you use.

"You need one smart meter for gas and another for electricity"

Yes. If you use both gas and electricity at home, both meters need to be replaced. If we supply both fuels to your property, we aim to install both meters on the same visit, to make things as easy as possible. You'll only need one In-Home Display to view both your gas and electricity use. If we only supply one fuel then we'll still install a smart meter for that one supply. You'll need to speak to the other supplier to get the second smart meter installed.