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Smart meters to cost the UK billions: 2G switch-off means replacing 12-13 million
(www.theregister.com)
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this post was submitted on 11 Nov 2026
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Wait, why are the individual meters wireless at all?
It seems like if you're running a power cable for ~200 A service (Idk what UK standard is, but that's what I used to in US), running a small fiber cable in parallel would be trivial - and I expect the data rates coming from these would make a fiber connection "future proof" in the most literal sense of the word.
Extreme cost is likely the reason, digging up every power line would get expensive very quickly.
Because the power cables have been installed 100 years ago. They are not going to dig them up to run data lines.
Wireless smart meters are in place in other countries as well (Germany for example). However, the wireless module is just a plug in module, changing it out takes about 20 seconds.
Also in place in the US - they just use 433 MHz I believe, and some dude drives around in a truck collecting readings from the road.
In my US town, it transmits to a nearby receiver on a power pole. Same with water. But also in the US buried power cables are the exception.
Oh, missed that this is retrofitting onto old service. I suppose that does make sense (still kinda hate it).
Yeah, sounds Luke theyre making this more complicated than it needs to be.
Here in Italy meters talk over the power line itself, like the PowerLine you use in your house. It even allows (but nobody bothers) to connect a user device by plugging it into an outlet (different networks though)
That would mean digging up existing powerlines into every home though. Making them wireless v8a cellular modem makes them independent enough and avoids depending on WiFi which would place the burden of connectivity on the residents.