- Number of ageing meters to be replaced nears 150,000
mark – down by almost half a million in the last 12
months
- Current replacement rate would see all RTS meters eradicated
before 2026 is out
- Customers must play their part to make engineer appointments
– and suppliers must work hard to keep them
Energy regulator Ofgem has issued a rallying call for suppliers
and customers to connect for one last push to bring an end to the
Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) in 2026.
The number of heating systems still dependant on this ageing long
wave radio technology fell dramatically in the past year – from
more than 600,000 in January to fewer than 165,000 (based on the
latest available data to the end of October).
Thanks to the driving force of a cross-sector RTS Taskforce –
commissioned by Ofgem in partnership with
suppliers, government and trade body Energy UK – the
rate of replacement rocketed from less than 1000 per month to
more than 1000 per day.
Current projections show that RTS meters can be completely
eradicated by the end of next summer, but only if suppliers are
able to maintain the momentum of 2025 and carry it into
the new year.
But this will require a joint-commitment from suppliers and their
consumers, firstly to engage with each other to make an
appointment for an engineer to visit – and for companies to
ensure they devote enough resources to keep those
appointments.
Charlotte Friel, Director Retail
Pricing and Systems for Ofgem, said:
“We want to make 2026 the last year for RTS – and thanks to
the significant progress made by industry, led by the
RTS Taskforce, that goal is within sight.
“But there is more work to be done, and it must be done urgently
as the phased area by area switch-off of the RTS signal –
currently paused during the winter months to protect customers –
will resume at pace in the
spring. So it's important to respond quickly if
your supplier contacts you to offer an appointment for a meter
upgrade.
“Equally, it's vital that energy companies keep these
appointments, as our monitoring data shows that 25% of cancelled
or aborted engineer visits are due to the supplier making the
cancellation. This should not happen without very
strong reason and we've made clear our
expectation that suppliers channel their resources to prioritise
RTS customers, regardless of where they live.”
Customers who have been arranging appointments for a meter
exchange but either cannot get one within a
reasonable timeframe or have had their appointments
repeatedly cancelled by the supplier, could be entitled to £40
compensation under Ofgem's Guaranteed Standards of Performance
(GSoP) rules.
However, extensive efforts have been made by suppliers to contact
customers directly through multiple channels to ensure they know
about the situation and the need to take action. This has
been supported by extensive outreach and advertising campaigns in
partnership with local authorities and consumer
groups.
Despite this activity, there are still many customers who may not
realise they are affected. Some may not know what kind of meter
they have, may not have seen the messages from their supplier
so it's important to check now and take
action.
You may have an RTS meter if:
- You have received letters, emails, texts or calls from your
electricity supplier
- You have a switch box near your energy meter labelled
“Radio Teleswitch” or “RTS”
- You have electric or storage heaters
- You have no gas supply in your area – you may live rurally or
in a block of flats
- You get cheaper energy at different times of day.
Your tariff might be: Economy 7,
Economy 10 or Total Heat Total Control.
If the RTS signal fails, customers could also be charged
incorrectly for their energy – for example, by being billed at
peak rates instead of cheaper off-peak times. This could lead to
higher bills, at a time when many households and businesses are
already struggling with the cost of living.
A carefully managed phase-out of the RTS signal began from 30
June, but only in areas where suppliers had shown they had extra
support in place to respond quickly to help any affected
customers. While the switch off has been paused during the colder
months, the upgrade programme continues at pace with suppliers
working across the country to replace RTS meters urgently.
Notes to editors
- The RTS was introduced in the 1980s and has reached the end
of its natural operational life. The equipment that is used
to transmit the radio signal for RTS can't be
adequately maintained, with spare parts no longer being
manufactured. The radio signal and supporting infrastructure and
systems will be shut down and the service they support will be
phased out from 30 June 2025.
