More than 90,000 households in Northern England with outdated Radio Teleswitch (RTS) meters must switch to smart meters in the next year to avoid potential supply disruptions, Octopus Energy has today urged.
RTS equipment receives updates through Long Wave radio broadcast, the same radio frequency as the BBC uses for radio programming.
The BBC has announced plans to migrate unique Long Wave content to other broadcasting platforms – effectively ending RTS communication capabilities on June 30th 2025.
Octopus Energy, the UK’s largest power company, and the supplier of almost a quarter of affected homes in the North, is launching a campaign today to help fast-track its RTS customers’ new meter installations.
Octopus Energy engineers will have added capacity to visit all affected properties in the North across this summer and autumn.
Its RTS customers will be fast-tracked to getting a smart meter, minimising any potential disruptions to their energy supply.
Who is affected?
If a customer uses electricity for heating and hot water (via electric storage/panel heaters and/or immersion heaters), and has a tariff that offers cheaper rates during off-peak periods, they may have an RTS meter. Usually there will be a large black box next to the meter (pictured below).
John Szymik, CEO of Octopus Energy Services, comments: “Octopus has boosted its service capability to offer fast-tracked assistance and ensure that no one is left without power. We urge all affected customers, of any supplier, to book their meter exchange now to ensure a smooth transition.”
Smart meters are extremely important for the energy transition and unlock the power of smart tariffs. Customers with smart meters also have more control and oversight over their energy consumption and costs.
Octopus is also offering all RTS customers who opt for the switch a free Octopus Home Mini – the company’s very first hardware product, designed in-house and built in England.
The nifty device securely connects to a customer’s smart meter, giving customers real-time visibility of how much energy they are using and what that costs – helping them to better manage their bills at a click of a button on their phone.
Affected customers who are looking to switch to a smart meter can register their interest on their online account here.
