Comments on: FAQ: Home Area Network (HAN) Issues

By: GreenReaper

GreenReaper — Tue, 18 Sep 2018 03:05:08 +0000

In reply to Jim.

It’s transmitting it using an encrypted channel established during the network pairing process – similar to how you pair your Bluetooth headphones before you can receive phone calls.

There are real reasons to be concerned about flaws in the implementation (search for “ZigBee Exploited”), let alone the ability to access data at the energy provider’s end (which, incidentally, is much more likely to be exploited for profit); but it’s not like they haven’t applied *any* encryption.

By: lockon

lockon — Fri, 09 Aug 2013 20:14:48 +0000

I hope that none of you who are behind the stopping of smart meters have cell phones. If so, you better get rid of them asap. Having worked in that industry, I can tell you that you every move can be monitored – literally. A cell phone is FAR FAR more of an invasion of your privacy than any smart meter ever will be.

Get a grip folks. Embrace the technology for what it is: a way to help you and the utility reduce energy consumption so that our planet is more sustainable.

By: lockon

lockon — Fri, 09 Aug 2013 20:10:41 +0000

In reply to Jim.

yes, smart meters can be remotely programmed and software upgraded (i.e. “COMPLETELY RE-PROGRAM the internal CPU from remote”) – just like about any network connected device in existence can… big deal. But, why do people insist on propagating the conspiracy theories that the power company is out to get you… ooohhh!

Fact is: the smart meters provide finer grained power monitoring that help you to reduce your power consumption. Since our power company (PEPCO) installed the smart meter, I’ve managed to reduce my consumption by about 20%. That’s great! I can login to their website and see my usage down to the hour – in fact I wish I could see more! I rather enjoy getting their nagging emails telling me I’m using more power than I should because it helps me to reduce and save money.

All this technology is being put in place *to benefit you*, reduce costs and make our planet more sustainable, not to spy on you.

By: lockon

lockon — Fri, 09 Aug 2013 19:58:26 +0000

In reply to Melanie.

Ignorance at it’s best. Yes, the smart meters allow the power company finer grained monitoring, but NO they won’t “secretly” do anything to your power. You have to opt-in for voluntary power cuts during high demand – but that is nothing new. I was part of a similar program 20 years ago LONG before smart meters came along.

By: Dino

Dino — Thu, 16 May 2013 18:11:23 +0000

I was reading about future devices to be used to monitor and control individual appliances and devices, something that the smart meters can’t do.
The article referred to a product called MeterPlug that is planned to be sold in the future.
So I looked it up on the internet, anyone who is interested in Home Area Networks should definitely check it out. This MeterPlug has nothing at all to do with smart meters, and does not communicate with them, but it debunks the myth about smart meter doing those monitoring and control functions.
The customer can buy small modules that plug into any 3 pronged receptacle, (only up to 4 per wi-fi gateway), which is also purchased by the customer. Note , any more than 4 modules need a network specialist and additional expensive equipment. Also, these modules only work on standard 120 volt circuits.
This system does not transmit any data to the utility or outside of the house, and requires a smart phone or tablet that is Bluetooth enabled. Applications are bought and loaded to the smart phones to use this system, and the applications are programmed with the latest local utility rates per kilowatt hour, even if there are premium rates for certain hours.
So, the carefully worded advertising brochures that the utility sent out about 5 years ago talking about how Home Area Networks being available in the future may actually come true someday, but they still have nothing at all to do with smart meters, and the utilities never did say that HAN’s were connected to smart meters. So, the utilities can’t be sued for false advertising, but the utilities misled many people.
Note: a lot has happened in the last 5 years, but the MeterPlug devices are not yet on the market. Right now, it is not know how much of a market will exist for HANs, right now the big marketing push is for home security (cameras, sensors and paid monitoring services), on-off remote lighting control, NEXT thermostats and electric door locks. These are being promoted as home security and control systems and require a broadband internet connection, and the customer must purchase and have installed all the devices which are expensive. Again, these home security and control systems have nothing at all to do with any smart meters. The extra fee tacked onto your cable bill for these extra services is often bundled with internet, TV and phone service, and does not include the price of the devices or the installation.

By: Melanie

Melanie — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 05:03:53 +0000

In reply to Redi Kilowatt. The smart grid also allows the elcrteic company to monitor usage at each smart meter, thus allowing the elcrteic company at their desecration to turn down or turn off your elcrteic. For example, in the summer if you have your air conditioning on and the elcrteic company thinks it should not be on they can monitor your meter and simply provide you less power. Once again 1984 is here, but few will complain, so the smart grid will happen.

By: Jim

Jim — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 09:25:29 +0000

In reply to Redi Kilowatt.

Just because those features are POSSIBLY not enabled now, they will be in the future. These meters have the ability to do all of these “science fiction” things you have been talking about.

A lot of these people at the power company are still catching up with all the “high tech” stuff they now have to deal with. So I wouldn’t give what they say too much weight.

I would rather go with the actual manufacturer specs on the particular meter types they are installing. And they don’t have to use only one type of meter or go with one particular manufacturer for all the millions of installs in one area.

This website serves more than the PG&E area, and there are a lot of different types of “smart” meters out there. Most States that have rolled out the “smart” meters have implemented all the features, including near real time electrical usage data from the web. PG&E is catching up.

Again, you are confusing the HAN issue, you really need to do more research. The customer doesn’t have to buy ANY HAN EQUIPMENT for the HAN real time power use to be broadcast via the ZigBee transmitter.

And yes, the OLD – really OLD – “thermostat program” was a one way transmission from a central transmitter, possibly a FM subcarrier or pager frequency. And the device on people’s houses was a simple receive only device.

Not anymore! With “smart” meters they will be able to do anything they want!

It’s not “science fiction” when the power company can COMPLETELY RE-PROGRAM the internal CPU from remote.

They can roll out whatever type of networking stuff they want in the future. And they can do it in small steps so no one notices.

These “smart” meters are really creepy!

By: Redi Kilowatt

Redi Kilowatt — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 00:43:12 +0000

In reply to Redi Kilowatt. Sorry, do Goggle a search of "Origins of SmartMeters", you will see the article at the top of the page. That article is now all over the internet.

By: Redi Kilowatt

Redi Kilowatt — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 00:36:45 +0000

After posting about the new meters and HAN systems for about 2 years, I have been reading some really far out science fiction about the program.
Finally today I called the phone number that was on the sales brochure sent to me by PG&E for information about the brochure and the promotion. The number is:
1-866-743-0263. I spoke with a polite women in the Sacramento office.
My first question was about the “in home display” and about claims that it showed the real time usage that is also displayed on the meter. She never heard of it, and put me on hold for about 5 minutes while she talked to her supervisor.
She came back and said the only way a customer will be able to read the present usage in real time is to go out and look at the new meter.
Then I asked about the claim that a customer can go to PG&E’s website, enter their personal account information and look at their previous days usage.
She said, “that’s something that we are working on” and if 80 percent of the customers are interested in that service, then they will start “working on it”. She said that all that 80 % must have new meters that are actually connected and being remotely read, not new meters that are transmitting but not connected and still being read manually.
Then she said that the customers have always been able to log on to their account and view the previous months and years usage.
When I asked her about the part in the brochure that said,” With a HAN, you’ll be able to purchase and use home energy management systems together with automated appliances and electronics to optimize the value from your in-home energy use.”
She started to go off and talk about appliances and lights being controlled by remote using an Ipad , and then I interrupted her and said that I am aware of automation systems that do this now, but aren’t all these appliances, modules and controllers paid for the customer, and that they do not communicate anything to the meter or the utility company ? She said “that’s right”.
Then I asked her about the price alert programs. She explained that no price information is sent on the utility radio system to the meters, the price differential programs and the actual price per KwH is only available by internet or mobile phone alerts.
Then I asked her about the voluntary thermostat program, and how that the only thing that will ever be controlled by the utility company is the compressor motors on air conditioning units if a person has a smart thermostat. She said, “that’s right”, and I reaffirmed that by saying that this a one way command only, and the power company does not monitor the temperature of a thermostat reading because they can’t, it is not interactive, she said “that’s right”.
So to sum it up, these simple utility watt hour meters measure the total usage , and all utility companies bill in kilowatts used per hour, and the new meters (when connected) transmit that total usage to the utility company. There is no possible way that the utility company knows what individual appliances are using, even if the customer did purchase a HAN system.
There have very many great science fiction articles and videos from around the world about these “surveillance meters”, and none of them are fact, but so far I have only seen one science fiction article about the Origin of SmartMeters.
Do a Google search on the Origin of SmartMeters, you will find one written by a PhD.
.

By: Jim

Jim — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 10:10:50 +0000

In reply to Redi Kilowatt.

The meter transmits electrical usage information via the ZigBee HAN network. I said that, and here it is again.

What about that don’t you understand?

It’s that someone out there can read your meter on a regular basis, minute by minute that’s the privacy violation.

In this case there in no encryption on the meter reading data.

Now I know you just turned on a light, I know your TV is running or that you just took a shower. I know you are home and I know that a lot of other people are home because I can monitor them all from a mile away.

Being a somewhat technical guy, why don’t you get this?

It’s not science fiction, it’s fact. Ask anyone who knows radio and digital communications via computer.

They sell remote electrical usage monitors that read the ZigBee data and display it in your kitchen. Go look them up.

You buy one, turn it on and you start reading your electric meter, in real time, second by second.

How can that happen if the meter isn’t transmitting CONSTANT electrical usage data?

http://onzo.com/company/press/2011/04/15/onzo-awarded-zigbee-certification-for-new-in-home-display/

“gives consumers real-time information about how much electricity they are using in their home and how much it is costing them.”

Oh and “meters send out over 190,000 signals every day” sounds like every 4 hours to me!