Recommendation 13

The Department told us that the Data and Communications Company, the central communications and data platform that provides the network ecosystem for smart meters, is looking into options for ‘not-spots’ which the Department considers applies to only 0.75% of homes.42 These ‘few hundred thousand homes’ sit outside the ‘wide area network’ of coverage across Great Britain for smart meters.43 The Department said that one solution the Data and Communications Company is considering involves piggybacking on a 33 Qq 113, 120 34 Correspondence submitted by CEO, Smart Energy GB dated 30 June 2023 35 Q 85; C&AG’s Report, para 1.8, Figure 7 36 Qq 58–59, 85 37 Q 59; C&AG’s Report, para 1.20 38 Qq 87–88; C&AG’s Report, para 1.8 39 Qq 57, 85; C&AG’s Report, para 1.8, Figure 7 40 Q 86 41 Q 87 42 Qq 57, 110 43 Q 57 Update on the rollout of smart meters 13 consumer’s home broadband service. However, the Department advised that this solution will take some time to develop, and is one of a number of solutions being considered.44 Regulatory approach