Radio-Teleswitch Service switch-off
Is your electricity meter a Radio Teleswitching System (RTS)?
If so, it’s important you get in touch with your energy supplier, as the RTS meters are set to stop working in June 2025.
This is because the ‘Radio Teleswitch Service’ which allows these meters to function properly is due to be switched off, as the old equipment can no longer be properly maintained.
If you have an RTS meter, once the service is switched off your meter is likely to stop working properly. You could see:
- Your heating and hot water remaining on or off, or charging up at the wrong time of day.
- Your supplier incorrectly charging you for off-peak and peak usage.
An RTS meter
- A more limited choice of tariffs.
How do I know if I have an RTS meter?
According to Ofgem, you may have an RTS meter if:
- Your home has a separate switch box near your meter with a Radio Teleswitch label on it.
- Your home is heated using electricity or storage heaters.
- There is no gas supply to your area
- You get cheaper energy at different times of day, for example, on an Economy 7 tariff.
What do I do if I think I have an RTS meter?
Contact your energy supplier to arrange a replacement.
Beware if someone contacts you claiming you need to pay to change your meter as it’s likely a scam.
Connect Housing CANNOT arrange a replacement for you, as the energy supplier has a direct relationship with you and will not deal with us.
It’s important that you speak to your energy supplier ASAP to avoid being affected by the changes!
Changing to a smart meter
It’s highly likely that your meter will need to be replaced with a smart meter.
If you really don’t want a smart meter, you can ask for it to be put in dumb mode. This means it won’t have any ‘smart’ functionality and will work as a traditional meter does. It won’t send meter readings automatically to your supplier, so you’ll need to manually send them on a regular basis to ensure your bill is accurate.
For some customers with certain suppliers, dumb mode won’t be possible. For example, those who are on multi-rate tariffs such as Economy 7 may need to have their meter in smart mode to access the different rates. Similarly, those on prepayment meters may need their smart meter to be ‘smart’ to be able to top-up.
It’s also worth bearing in mind some suppliers make having or getting smart meters a condition of signing up to their tariffs.
