Smart meter installations need to be completed by a certified electrician. When you sign up to Amber, we'll work with metering companies to coordinate your installation.
Depending on demand and your location, it takes around 4 weeks from sign-up date for the installation to be completed. Once you've got a date for installation, the electrician will remove your old meter and install the new one in the same spot. This might involve you losing power for a little while (usually less than an hour).
Once your smart meter is installed your usage data should start appearing in the Amber app within 5 days. Once that happens you’re good to go - we can start passing through real-time wholesale prices for your usage. 🙌
Depending on demand and your location, it takes around 4 weeks from sign-up date for the installation to be completed. Once you've got a date for installation, the electrician will remove your old meter and install the new one in the same spot. This might involve you losing power for a little while (usually less than an hour).
Once your smart meter is installed your usage data should start appearing in the Amber app within 5 days. Once that happens you’re good to go - we can start passing through real-time wholesale prices for your usage. 🙌
Are smart meter installations always successful?
Most of the time, yes. But for 5% - 10% of customers there may be some additional works required to create a safe environment for the meter install to take place.
You won't be obligated to proceed with, or pay for, any additional works if they're required. But we're not able to cover the costs of creating a safe environment for your smart meter install to take place. (We'll still be able to pass through wholesale prices if you choose to remain on a basic or interval meter - you can read a bit more about this here).
Here are some common factors that can make your smart meter install more complex, and increase the likelihood that additional works will be required. If you think any of these factors may apply in your case, please give us a heads up when we schedule your smart meter install.
- No switch to isolate the meter. This is most commonly needed for older blocks of units, apartments, or townhouses, where multiple electricity meters sometimes share the same power supply. An optional isolation procedure (at additional cost) may be required for the electrician to safely install the new meter without cutting power to other homes.
- Not enough space to fit the smart meter in the meter box (they're a bit bigger than basic and interval meters).
- Exposed or unsafe wiring.
- Asbestos in or around the meter box.
We'll send a meter installer to your property to attempt to install a smart meter. If the attempt fails (usually for one of the above reasons), we'll let you know as soon as we can.
We'll explain any additional works that are required, and their cost. In cases where we can organise these works with your go-ahead, we'll pass them through at cost the cost to us, with no markup. You'll always have the option not to proceed and to remain on a basic meter or interval meter if you choose, and will continue to receive Amber's typical wholesale rates.
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