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davecla

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#312516 24-Apr-2024 10:58
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Bluecurrent (vector) want to install a smart meter at my place - I still have the old analogue style ones.

 

I live in Wellington, slightly rurally, in a valley (Ohariu). There is a single Spark tower servicing the area which doesn't cover our house. There isn't a voda tower anywhere.

 

I had thought smart meters were all on the voda network running on 2G but times may have changed?

 

There is no cellphone coverage in the house for any network, so I'm skeptical a smart meter will get a data connection, even with a little antenna. 

 

 

 

I've tried on a few occasions to speak with the metering company and power company about the situation, but it's difficult to get through to someone who can grasp the concept of no coverage.

 

Are the meters still on voda or will they talk 4G on the spark network now? 

 

Anyone from Vector metering on here want to PM me before the installer turns up and then looks at me blankly?

 

 

 

Thanks

 

dave

 

 

 

 


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wellygary
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davecla

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  #3222131 24-Apr-2024 11:32
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There is a small chance it might work then, if the cloud cover is just right sometimes a signal will bounce our way for a hour or two, but I wouldn't put any money on it.

 

Maybe the Cat-M1 service is optimised for longer distance, low bandwidth comms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


davidcole
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  #3222218 24-Apr-2024 12:14
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not much help, but why do you care?  You haven't initiated this action, and I guess up to them to make it work.





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boosacnoodle
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  #3222234 24-Apr-2024 12:48
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davecla: Maybe the Cat-M1 service is optimised for longer distance, low bandwidth comms.

 

It is. See the coverage map with M1 selected.


davecla

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  #3222283 24-Apr-2024 12:57
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davidcole:

 

not much help, but why do you care?  You haven't initiated this action, and I guess up to them to make it work.

 

 

 

 

The meter is inside the house on a finished wall. The last time a meter contractor came out he was pretty keen of drilling a bunch of holes in my wall and adding an external antenna to it.

 

He didn't strike me as a craftsman. I really don't want a butcher making a mess of it.  

 

 

 

 

 

 


wellygary
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  #3222325 24-Apr-2024 14:09
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davecla:

 

The meter is inside the house on a finished wall.

 

 

So your meter reader has a key?, or are you submitting them ? - 

 

I Can see why they want to automate the process.


 
 
 

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turtleattacks
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  #3222337 24-Apr-2024 14:25
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wellygary:

 

They are 4G now

 

https://www.ventia.com/newsroom/news/ventia-awarded-contract-for-4g-modem-rollout

 

and Yip, they use Spark

 

https://www.spark.co.nz/iot/home/iot-customer-stories/vector

 

 

 

 


Does this mean our wall units needs to be updated?





Silvrav
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  #3222350 24-Apr-2024 14:47
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Most likely will use a LOS antenna if you have LOS of the spark tower.

 

But, that's their problem. We had one recently installed in our rural property and our usage so far has reduced. I can only put it down to the old analog meter being out of calibration. 


Jase2985
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  #3222380 24-Apr-2024 15:30
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davecla:

 

davidcole:

 

not much help, but why do you care?  You haven't initiated this action, and I guess up to them to make it work.

 

 

 

 

The meter is inside the house on a finished wall. The last time a meter contractor came out he was pretty keen of drilling a bunch of holes in my wall and adding an external antenna to it.

 

He didn't strike me as a craftsman. I really don't want a butcher making a mess of it.  

 

 

 

 

Mine is in a metal box (meter/Main Switchboard) with a A5 plastic viewing window on it, that's the only way the signal is getting out as the antenna is built into the cover plate for the terminals. 

Mine is a Solar export meter though, so might be slightly different


Jvipers2
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  #3222396 24-Apr-2024 15:57
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davidcole:

not much help, but why do you care?  You haven't initiated this action, and I guess up to them to make it work.


Read the fine print. If they could not ascertain the usage, they are allowed to guesstimate...certainly you wouldn't want to be paying more than what you consume...

Jase2985
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  #3222446 24-Apr-2024 16:06
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Jvipers2:
davidcole:

 

not much help, but why do you care?  You haven't initiated this action, and I guess up to them to make it work.

 


Read the fine print. If they could not ascertain the usage, they are allowed to guesstimate...certainly you wouldn't want to be paying more than what you consume...

 

then surely they shouldn't be trying to install one in an area with average signal that might not be able to report back regularly 


 
 
 
 

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davidcole
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  #3222449 24-Apr-2024 16:18
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Jase2985:

 

Jvipers2:
davidcole:

 

not much help, but why do you care?  You haven't initiated this action, and I guess up to them to make it work.

 


Read the fine print. If they could not ascertain the usage, they are allowed to guesstimate...certainly you wouldn't want to be paying more than what you consume...

 

then surely they shouldn't be trying to install one in an area with average signal that might not be able to report back regularly 

 

 

this....my point exactly.  They are initiating this, to "make thing better" - read as save them money.  It's up to them to do it properly so they can fire off all their meter readers....sorry  mean make things better.

 

 





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DjShadow
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  #3222468 24-Apr-2024 16:45
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Would coverage from the RCG site by Makara Beach reach where you are?


davecla

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  #3222503 24-Apr-2024 19:02
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DjShadow:

 

Would coverage from the RCG site by Makara Beach reach where you are?

 

 

 

 

I'm the wrong end of the valley for that one. I get a bit of signal from the tower by the Ohariu golf course - phone tells me its id is 467331 but the signal strength is very poor.

 

At one time I needed 4G broadband access as there was no other options, I had to setup a yagi antenna some distance from the house and relay it, even then coverage was sketchy and I moved on as soon as starlink was available in nz.

 

Given the meter will be on Spark now there is some hope, but I'm really sceptical it will work. 


richms
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  #3222515 24-Apr-2024 19:43
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They will be planning for when it does get more signal. Also the 4g lte iot stuff is a lot more forgiving than the high speed stuff that a phone uses, and they usually put a pretty grunty looking antenna on installs in low signal areas.





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