End of Radio Teleswitch Service: Rural Areas

Opened the debate

The radio teleswitch service decommissioning is a critical issue affecting thousands of households in Scotland, impacting electric-only heating customers who rely on 'total heating with total control' metres. The system, which controls peak and off-peak rates via a radio signal, will end by June 2025. Customers are being asked to switch to smart metres but face concerns over functionality and costs. Many have poor reception or no mobile signal, leading to fears about continuous energy supply issues and higher bills. Confidence in smart metre efficacy is low due to previous roll-out problems. The industry has committed to several measures including prioritising vulnerable customers and monthly reports on progress, but the current pace of rollout will not meet June 2025 deadlines. Constituents seek assurances on smart metre functionality and cost implications.

Government Response

The Minister acknowledged the importance of the radio teleswitch service decommissioning issue and assured that the Government is prioritising consumer awareness and a smooth transition. Since 1980, RTS has helped many consumers with lower-cost energy for heating and hot water but is now coming to an end by June 2025 due to technological obsolescence. A taskforce involving Ofgem, industry, and the Government was established to manage the transition efficiently, focusing on regional hotspots with high RTS customer concentrations, fast-tracking metre upgrades for vulnerable customers, and addressing technical issues collaboratively. The Minister stressed that energy suppliers must inform all affected customers by 31 December to ensure urgency in both the supply chain and among consumers. Partnerships with local authorities, housing providers, and other organisations are being established to disseminate information effectively. Smart metres are seen as a natural upgrade for RTS users, offering greater control and potential cost reduction if installed properly. The Government is working on new guaranteed standards of performance for smart metering to improve consumer experience and introduce automatic compensation for system failures. There remains work to do but the Minister committed to collaborating with MPs to make this transition as smooth as possible.