FortisBC will soon be installing advanced meters in Coalmont. We have confirmed that there is indeed a work order for our town, and they will be doing the work between June 22 and June 26. Meter exchanges will take place Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Just like when your meter is normally read, you do not need to be at home.
Despite motions opposing the installation of smart meters in many municipalities, the provincial government has insisted that installations would proceed. FortisBC started installing the new meters in late 2014, are doing the Similkameen area now, and will finish with the Kootenays in late 2015.
Although the basic technology is considered by some experts to have been outdated long before it was even proposed, Fortis still believes that their implementation carries many advantages. It is not clear just how many of those are of benefit to the end user but they place more billing options, fewer estimates, and online tools, at the top of their list. For a more complete sales pitch on Advanced Meter Infrastructure (AMI) visit Fortisbc.com/ami. Current privacy concerns appear minimal, but future advanced options offer significant intrusion. At this time three years of data will be available for immediate retrieval and four additional years will be archived.
FortisBC was unable to tell us what the actual implementation of the Coalmont rollout will look like. The basic technology utilizes the spectrum between 902-928 MHz but how the connection will be made here could be different. With no cell coverage, it will likely be through satellite backhaul. The latter is expensive but FortisBC claims that it is still worth it to them in many cases. We will have answers to these kinds of questions after the first meter goes in on June 22nd. §
I became Wi-Fi sensitive three years ago. There are now ten people in our surrounding community that also suffer from this low-grade radiation.
I refused a Smart Meter and the legacy charge is extortion but living Wi-Fi free on our five acres is nothing but joy.
The concern I have is the 20,000 os so of us who kept our old meter are being charged a meter reading service while the over 50,000 smart meter owners whose meter is unable to connect to the system are being read for nothing. In what world does this make sense?
Fortis customers must resist this dictatorial invasion of their privacy and health. I sent a registered letter to BC Hydro 3 years ago, informing them that I would not accept a smartmeter. But I also posted a No Trespassing Corex (the installation contractor) sign beside my Hydro meter which I signed and dated. I’ve heard that you should also give your account number. My sign was done on white plastic and painted with black signpainters’ paint so it will no deteriorate. It’s still there and I haven’t had their dangerous little piece of garbage forced upon me (at least not so far).