Radio Teleswitch Meters — and why they’re on their way out

Radio Teleswitch (RTS) Meters are energy meters that let electricity suppliers switch between different tariff rates using long wave radio frequencies. In some cases they can also directly control when the heating and hot water come on. Those radio frequencies are due to be switched off later this year and all RTS meters will need to be replaced before they stop working properly.

At the end of 2024 there were still around 600,000 RTS meters installed in homes across Great Britain. That number is dropping every day as more are being swapped out, but there’s still a long way to go. Energy suppliers will need to significantly increase their rate of changing meters to meet the deadline of this summer.

Some people may not even know they have an RTS meter, particularly if they’ve changed how they heat their home in the years since the meter was fitted. Citizens Advice has guidance on this, and you can ask your supplier if you’re unsure whether you have one.

What can you do before the signal is switched off?

When the signal is turned off RTS meters will no longer receive messages about when to switch between energy costs. This could cause a few issues:

• RTS meters may carry on switching rates but slowly “drift” as their internal clocks no longer receive updates. They may also stop working or switch rates at unexpected times of day after a power-cut as the meter is no longer able to establish what the time is when power is restored.
• They may stay permanently off, in some cases stopping heat and hot water coming on, or stay permanently on, keeping both on at all times.

Smart Meters are the obvious choice to replace RTS meters — they’re the newest kind of meter which enable more accurate bills and other useful products and services. They can replicate RTS tariffs by allowing suppliers to create tariffs with different costs for energy at different times of day allowing people to heat their homes as they did before.

Some RTS meters are in places where there’s unreliable or no signal for smart meters to communicate. Suppliers have developed some technical fixes for this, like pre-programming the tariff rate-switching time onto smart meters so they don’t need a signal to be told when to change rates. Options like this should allow most RTS customers to keep an equivalent Time of Use tariff to what they’re used to. Suppliers can advise on the different options available.

Time is running out — but questions remain unanswered

Citizens Advice have been involved in discussions around the RTS switch-off and are members of the RTS Taskforce. While the Taskforce has undertaken a lot of work coordinating suppliers and organising a public information campaign, some questions remain unanswered.

1. Will RTS customers be any worse off after the switch to smart?

Once the RTS signal is turned off anyone who still has an RTS meter is at clear risk of being worse off than they were before. But consumers who switch to a new meter shouldn’t be worse off than with their current RTS meter.

We expect suppliers to offer tariffs that match the unit cost of energy and low/high cost timings that customers with RTS meters currently have. Not all suppliers have committed to do this, but we’re hopeful that there will be a cross-market guarantee in the near future. Even if this means suppliers creating special tariffs for former RTS customers.

2. Who pays for electrical work?

Some homes will need additional electrical work done in order to remove the RTS metering equipment (which may be directly connected to storage and water heaters) and replace it with a new smart meter in a way that keeps everything working. The wiring in people’s homes is usually their own responsibility, but not everyone will have the money to pay for this — especially at short notice.

Ofgem is currently working with suppliers to work out the expected cost of these fixes and how often they’re needed. We’re calling for funding to be made available to consumers who need help paying for these changes as soon as possible.

3. Will RTS customers be forced to get a smart meter?

Smart meters aren’t mandatory and we’re seeing a lot of media coverage and questions about whether people with RTS meters are being forced to have a smart meter installed against their wishes.

Consumers who don’t want a smart meter have always had the option to have a smart meter fitted in “restricted” mode (sometimes called “dumb mode”) when getting a meter replacement. This setting allows a supplier to — at a customer’s request — stop a smart meter from sending meter readings to them. Consumers will then submit meter reads manually, so may miss out on smart-specific tariffs and services. This can be changed at any time by the consumer or if someone else moves in. This option has gained more attention following the launch of the RTS campaign as a way to alleviate the concerns of those who don’t want a smart meter.

At the moment this is achieved through complex work-arounds like fitting an old-style meter or physically disabling parts of the smart meter. A new universal process to simply and quickly put smart meters into and out of “restricted mode” was created in 2021 but has frustratingly been held up at the Smart Energy Code by energy suppliers who have yet to vote through the modification that would allow it. We’re hopeful that the need to get RTS meters replaced and reassure consumers will spur suppliers to finally implement this solution.

What next?

The RTS switch-off has been expected for many years but due to a lack of meter changes early on, the final push will have to happen very quickly. Energy customers had no say in the switch-off of the RTS signal and in most cases will have inherited the meter when they moved into their home. They shouldn’t be inconvenienced or face extra costs because of an infrastructure change entirely out of their control or choice. Tight timelines aren’t a justification for a worse customer experience. The challenges we’ve highlighted must be addressed to ensure consumers are being treated fairly.