Most Smart meters are SMETS1 but there are some SMETS2 out there but its a supply issue more than anything.
- Yes the vast majority of SMART meters lose SMART functionality when switching suppliers but they should regain that functionality by the end of the year / start of 2019. This to be honest can be put down to lack of foresight and the government pushing for quotas when the infrastructure isn't in place. The problem is there are a lot of meter makes and installing meter operators and generally you will see 1 or 2 meter operators are contracted with a supplier but not with other suppliers and to obtain the licenses and means for each supplier and respective parties to read each others meters is astronomical. HOWEVER... a company/service is being set up, the DCC (Data communications Company) who will hold the means and licenses for all SMART meter and will be the sole company who will collect readings from these meters and then feed them to whichever supplier you are with. Essentially they will become SMART meters once more
- SMART meters only show you what you use and the cost. They were never a money saving device, its down to you to change your usage if you feel you are using too much/ spending too much
- They can be hacked as can anything like this that's capable of sending or receiving a signal. "Hacking to lower you energy prices" is a stupid comment as the prices, while also stored on the meter, if you change them on the meter it means diddly squat to the energy supplier as the prices are on the suppliers billing systems. The only possible worthwhile hack would be to set it to under report and to be the best of my knowledge that requires an extreme amount of effort and know how which 99.99% of the populous doesn't have
I work for EDF as a Metering Engineer, and I can say for sure that all SMETS1 meters will NOT be added or upgraded to the SMETS2 system when it eventually goes live. This is because the Government who own the DCC have decided that "all meters not ORIGINALLY SMETS2 are there for not capable of being controlled by the DCC" (exact wording from the government whitepaper we all got sent at work). 99% of this thinking is because the DCC wont be able top claim the rental/tax from the coms hub.
The main difference between SMETS1 and 2 is the communications hub on the top of the meter will be owned and operated by the DCC (when they eventually get around to producing something looking like a working company) the Energy Provider (EDF in my case) then owns the meter and pays a rental/tax for the communications hub. So it does not mater what make/brand the meter is its the coms hub that makes it smart.
After installing several hundred meters in recent months you would be surprised to see how many people could not give too hoots how much electric they use. But after being shown how to use the smart system they soon become very interested in how much it costs to run things (like having a tumble dryer going flat out all summer when a perfectly usable washing line is available). Honestly the public have no common sense!
Hacking is the governments biggest worry and partly why the DCC is taking so long to set up. The DCC will hold data on every house hold in every part of the UK even if you do not have a smart meter, all your reading will be sent there so when you do want to switch supplier it will be "easier" because the already have all the information needed. Also once the DCC is in operation ANY supplier change will involve you HAVING to have a smart meter even if you dont want one. All this is currently being brushed under the carpet by government as quietly as possible.
I would link the whitepaper but I quite like my job and as its currently covered by a NDA I've probably said too much already....
Any questions then please fire away!