Home Area Network (HAN) Solutions: Implementation of 868MHz and Alternative HAN solutions
Citizens Advice is pleased to respond to DECC’s consultation on Home Area Network (HAN) Solutions: Implementation of 868MHz and Alternative HAN solutionsIt is important to note that the overwhelming majority (over 99%) of consumer benefits identified in DECC’s impact assessment for smart metering come from services provided via the Home Area Network (HAN) so ensuring that it works consistently and as promised will be vital. If it does not consumers are likely to regard their smart metering equipment as faulty and lose faith in the benefits of smart metering. The HAN is also where much of the most detailed, and therefore personal, consumer energy usage data will be found so ensuring robust privacy and security will be vital. Consumers consistently tell us that they will only engage with services built upon their data if they are confident that they will retain control over and have transparency of their data.Consumers will ultimately bear the costs of the smart meter rollout through their energy bills and as such it is vital that the net benefits of smart to consumers be maximised and the consistency and reliability of service be achieved in the most cost effective manner possible. It will be vital that this balance be struck and the outcomes of this consultation will have an integral role to play in achieving this.