??? That article just says 4 million are not operating in their respective Smart mode..
You are making out it's a huge problem when all that happens is they fall back to being a normal meter.. and they are improving that.. you know the way they work internally is identical to the normal non smart digital readout meters?
Old fashioned spinning disc meters still use energy FFS.. and a Smart meter using 1kwh a year (so the BBC suggest) is literally bugger all.. Although ironically a smart meter would have the ability to correct for this more accurately should it be chosen..
There is a path in play now allowing SMETS1 to be used as full smart meters (
https://www.smartdcc.co.uk/our-smart-network/current-programmes/smets1-enrolment-and-adoption/).
SMETS2 have been installed since 2018 and some people opt to get their meters upgraded to SMETS2.. there are edge cases, but again, the meter doesn't stop working, it just defaults back to being a dumb meter..
Yeah, which is why all the consumer advantageous money saving tarriffs all require a smart meter..
Tin foil or just grumpy old luddite? I suggest the latter..