Yes, might need a new modem

I think I've heard something about older smart meters using the 3G cellular network that is being switched off later in 2025, so it's possible yours needs to be upgraded to 4G comms?

Plenty of room for me to be wrong here!

Dynamic:

 

I think I've heard something about older smart meters using the 3G cellular network that is being switched off later in 2025, so it's possible yours needs to be upgraded to 4G comms?

 

Plenty of room for me to be wrong here!

 

yes and no, in my instance they don’t think it is a smart meter at all. 

turtleattacks:

 

Dynamic:

 

I think I've heard something about older smart meters using the 3G cellular network that is being switched off later in 2025, so it's possible yours needs to be upgraded to 4G comms?

 

Plenty of room for me to be wrong here!

 

 

 

 

yes and no, in my instance they don’t think it is a smart meter at all. 

 

its a smart meter- but as others have mentioned it likely has a 3G modem connected to it..

"Mk7C
Single Phase Smart Meter with Disconnect and Reconnect Feature
ATLAS – Class 1 and Class 2"

https://www.edmi-meters.com/product/meters/electricity-metering-devices/mk7c-2/

That's definitely a smart meter. It does not 100% mean that's your meter, or your only meter. Check that the S/N matches the one they're proposing to upgrade. 

Many of these were installed with 2G (not even 3G) modems that are going to be nonfunctional shortly. That's the obvious reason for a modem replacement, which can be done live without interrupting supply.

We have the same ‘smart’ meter a year or so ours was upgraded for the same reason, they just replace the modem in the meter not the meter itself. 

Have had one of those before, the bottom of that has a space for them to plug a modem in, so are interchangeable, but they may just replace it with a newer model, especially if it's out of certification or they want to change it to Mesh.

If the power company is saying that they need to upgrade/fix it, it'll be free and no more than an hour (super quick if it's just recertification + modem change though).

Dynamic:

 

I think I've heard something about older smart meters using the 3G cellular network that is being switched off later in 2025, so it's possible yours needs to be upgraded to 4G comms?

 

Plenty of room for me to be wrong here!

 

I thought a lot of smart power meters used 915mhz 'CAT-M' network? (Similar to LoRa WAN).

For connecting to the 'IoT' network Spark advertise.

I think the initial rollout predates that; newer ones might be.

MarkM536:

 

I thought a lot of smart power meters used 915mhz 'CAT-M' network? (Similar to LoRa WAN).

 

For connecting to the 'IoT' network Spark advertise.

 

Cat-M1 is on band 28, 700 MHz and band 3, 1800 MHz.

Like others have said, If it’s still within its certification date then they will just replace the comms.

you haven’t actually shown us what the actual wording in the info you have received has said.

its probally written in layman’s terms to suit the masses.

also when they first starting upgrading these, they ran into issues with criminals thinking they could pose as meter upgrade techs… because the actual techs were coming without announcing their plans……so now mostly you get informed well ahead of the scheduled visit.  

Goosey:

 

Like others have said, If it’s still within its certification date then they will just replace the comms.

 

 

 

you haven’t actually shown us what the actual wording in the info you have received has said.

 

its probally written in layman’s terms to suit the masses.

 

 

 

also when they first starting upgrading these, they ran into issues with criminals thinking they could pose as meter upgrade techs… because the actual techs were coming without announcing their plans……so now mostly you get informed well ahead of the scheduled visit.  

 

 

 

 

 

They originally asked me to pay $200 to upgrade it to a smart meter as they said it’s not one.

I called back and said that it is one and they said “oh, in that case, we’ll just try to fix it for free”

When they did mine, no cut off of power which I was worried about , but all the numbers on the meter started again from 0 on the bill from the date that they did it.

its a smart meter they will install the same with a different firmware ..and they have a node network that runs on the powerline it self ..thats how they broadcast the usage