Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to help people who live in areas without adequate radio coverage access alternatives to standard smart meters.
As many households and small businesses as possible should benefit from smart metering. The Data Communications Company (DCC), which operates the national communications infrastructure for smart metering, is obliged under its licence to provide communications coverage to at least 99.25% of premises across Great Britain.
In addition, the DCC is also required to seek to provide coverage where it is practicable and cost proportionate, and to assess opportunities to increase the overall level of coverage. Ofgem is responsible for regulating the DCC against its licence conditions.