What the Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) shutdown means for your business

What is the Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS)?

The Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) is an industry-run service that supports old versions of multi-rate meters, or other complex meter types.

What is a Radio Teleswitch Meter (RTS Meter)?

RTS applies to meter types known as Radio Teleswitch Meters (RTS Meters) or Dynamically Teleswitched Meters (DTS Meters), which both work in a similar way.

These rely on radio signals to perform important functions like switching between peak and off-peak rates or turning on your heating or hot water.

A Radio Teleswitch device is installed alongside the electricity meter itself, and it’s this device which picks up the RTS signals and controls the time switching features on the meter.

How do I know if my meter relies on the RTS?

You should be able to tell if you have a meter that relies on the RTS by looking for a separate switch box next to your meter. This will have a Radio Teleswitch Service label on it.

Remember that it is only older versions of certain multi-rate or complex meters that rely on the RTS radio signals. You will be unaffected if you have a single-rate meter or newer versions of the multi-rate meters.

How and when is the RTS changing?      

The RTS will be shut down on 31 of March 2024, because the equipment that’s needed to send the radio signals can no longer be satisfactorily maintained. This is an industry-wide change which will impact all energy suppliers and will affect both domestic and business customers with an RTS meter.

The RTS shutdown means that from 1 April 2024, RTS meters will stop functioning properly.

What does this mean for my business?

If you rely on the RTS you could lose important functions such as heating and hot water, which could be left either constantly on or off, depending on the meter type.

To avoid this, we’re contacting all customers with an RTS meter to arrange installation of a new meter. We’ll be replacing all RTS meters with smart or AMR (Automated Meter Reading) meters to ensure you continue to receive essential services, such as hot water, without needing to use the radio signal.

What happens to my energy tariff?

You’ll stay on the same tariff when your meter changes. For some customers, there may be a small difference to your peak and off-peak timings, but other than that you won’t notice any difference.

What added benefits will my business get from a smart meter?

You won’t need to take manual readings. Smart and AMR meters provide meter readings to your energy supplier automatically.

Your bills will be more accurate, as they’re based on the amount you actually use.

You’ll have access to HH (Half-hourly) data on your energy consumption, giving you important insight into exactly how much you use and when. As a result, you’ll be able to identify opportunities to reduce your consumption and energy costs.

You can get all of these benefits without any hassle. Our installation team are completely flexible and can offer installation appointments outside of working hours.

If you want to find out more, take a look at our SMART metering page.

If you’re a residential customer, you can find more relevant information on what the RTS shutdown means for you here.