Has anyone turned down the PEPCO Smartmeter? [PEPCO Smartmeter Opt Out]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:smartmeters don't bother me. The "Energy Wise rewards thermostat" bothers me a LOT. Luckily, that is voluntary.

Any chance they'll make those mandatory also? I've read about people having issues with the Energy Wise thermostat and I definitely don't want one. But, I wonder if they can make it mandatory to control electricity usage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, you guys don't want your electrical usage monitored, but you are ok with your phone calls being tracked by cell providers (including every location where a call was made/received), AND your internet and cable usage being tracked by your IP provider?

Not to mention, your internet browsing history is also being tracked by your IP provider.

Seems to me like you've got your panties in a bunch over the wrong thing.

We get to freely choose our cell phone, internet, and cable providers. We don't get to choose Pepco. That's the difference.

[Anonymous]

Can anyone explain the real privacy issue here? Anyone can walk up to your house and read your meter. Anyone can watch when your lights go on and off. And the power company can read your meter whenever they want. Unlike practically every orher business they xant use this information to sekl tour name to marketers Shame on them for trying to use information to provide better service.

This is a tempest in a teapot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone explain the real privacy issue here? Anyone can walk up to your house and read your meter. Anyone can watch when your lights go on and off. And the power company can read your meter whenever they want. Unlike practically every orher business they xant use this information to sekl tour name to marketers Shame on them for trying to use information to provide better service.

Ha! Do you know PEPCO? Do you really think the Smartmeter is going to lead to 'better service'? HAHAHAHAHA

My guess is there is some benefit to them. And, if the Public Service Commission is allowing people to opt-out, maybe they think something is up?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, you guys don't want your electrical usage monitored, but you are ok with your phone calls being tracked by cell providers (including every location where a call was made/received), AND your internet and cable usage being tracked by your IP provider?

Not to mention, your internet browsing history is also being tracked by your IP provider.

Seems to me like you've got your panties in a bunch over the wrong thing.

We get to freely choose our cell phone, internet, and cable providers. We don't get to choose Pepco. That's the difference.

You have the option of Comcast or Verizon for internet and cable. Or, just Comcast depending on where you are. Doesn't seem like much of a choice to me.

[Anonymous]

I understand that the effects of the smart meter can be prevented by wearing a tinfoil hat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:smartmeters don't bother me. The "Energy Wise rewards thermostat" bothers me a LOT. Luckily, that is voluntary.

Yes, who the hell would want to allow the power company to turn off your air conditioner for, apparently, no benefit whatsoever? I guess they might hook a few people with "better for the environment" and "conserve energy," but those folks already keep their house at 80 degrees. My response was not just no but hell no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone explain the real privacy issue here? Anyone can walk up to your house and read your meter. Anyone can watch when your lights go on and off. And the power company can read your meter whenever they want. Unlike practically every orher business they xant use this information to sekl tour name to marketers Shame on them for trying to use information to provide better service.

Ha! Do you know PEPCO? Do you really think the Smartmeter is going to lead to 'better service'? HAHAHAHAHA

My guess is there is some benefit to them. And, if the Public Service Commission is allowing people to opt-out, maybe they think something is up?

probably so they can sell your data to the GE's, Samsungs, Apple's, Bose's of the world. all the benefits they espouse can be achieved through other methods. some financial analysts at PEPCO calculated that the investment in the smartmeters can be paid back in 17 months and after that it is pure icing on their cake. just think of all the data they can package up to sell to the product development folks, the marketers, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone explain the real privacy issue here? Anyone can walk up to your house and read your meter. Anyone can watch when your lights go on and off. And the power company can read your meter whenever they want. Unlike practically every orher business they xant use this information to sekl tour name to marketers Shame on them for trying to use information to provide better service.

Ha! Do you know PEPCO? Do you really think the Smartmeter is going to lead to 'better service'? HAHAHAHAHA

My guess is there is some benefit to them. And, if the Public Service Commission is allowing people to opt-out, maybe they think something is up?

probably so they can sell your data to the GE's, Samsungs, Apple's, Bose's of the world. all the benefits they espouse can be achieved through other methods. some financial analysts at PEPCO calculated that the investment in the smartmeters can be paid back in 17 months and after that it is pure icing on their cake. just think of all the data they can package up to sell to the product development folks, the marketers, etc.

There must be some benefit to PEPCO or else they wouldn't be doing it. And if they are spending all this cash to do it, they must have a plan to make that money back.

[Anonymous]

Pepco and the word plan are opposite

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone explain the real privacy issue here? Anyone can walk up to your house and read your meter. Anyone can watch when your lights go on and off. And the power company can read your meter whenever they want. Unlike practically every orher business they xant use this information to sekl tour name to marketers Shame on them for trying to use information to provide better service.

Ha! Do you know PEPCO? Do you really think the Smartmeter is going to lead to 'better service'? HAHAHAHAHA

My guess is there is some benefit to them. And, if the Public Service Commission is allowing people to opt-out, maybe they think something is up?

probably so they can sell your data to the GE's, Samsungs, Apple's, Bose's of the world. all the benefits they espouse can be achieved through other methods. some financial analysts at PEPCO calculated that the investment in the smartmeters can be paid back in 17 months and after that it is pure icing on their cake. just think of all the data they can package up to sell to the product development folks, the marketers, etc.

There must be some benefit to PEPCO or else they wouldn't be doing it. And if they are spending all this cash to do it, they must have a plan to make that money back.

They aren't selling your data, and frankly it reflects poorly on the protesters that they make wild guesses like that without any information. Smart meters improve service by allowing them to better understand load, ID outages, and spot quality problems before you do.

It was only two weeks ago that people were complaining that they got calls saying their service was restored when it wasn't. Gee if only there was a device that could tell them exactly which homes were out.. Oh wait there is.

There are a lot of posters who just want PEPCO to suck. In June you complain about tree pruning. In late June you complain about outages. In July you are complaining about smart meters.

And then in August, after you have refused any feasible approach to improvement you will deny them rate increases so thru can't spend more to be better. So I imagine in September you will wonder our loud why the wires aren't all underground.

[Anonymous]

There are a lot of posters who just want PEPCO to suck. In June you complain about tree pruning. In late June you complain about outages. In July you are complaining about smart meters.

And then in August, after you have refused any feasible approach to improvement you will deny them rate increases so thru can't spend more to be better. So I imagine in September you will wonder our loud why the wires aren't all underground.

You have got to be kidding me. No one WANTS Pepco to suck - do you really think people want shitty, unreliable electrical service? They DO suck.

With respect to rates, Pepco doubled its operating profit, due in large part to previous rate increases, in 2011. So you'll pardon me if I think the poor-mouthing, "we need more to improve" is a bunch of bullshit. We GAVE you more, and you kept it. Spend some of those profits, start making improvements and if you need more, come back then. But when Pepco seems more interested in padding the bottom line than customer service to its captive audience, it's absurd to claim that improvements can't be made unless customers take it in the shorts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone explain the real privacy issue here? Anyone can walk up to your house and read your meter. Anyone can watch when your lights go on and off. And the power company can read your meter whenever they want. Unlike practically every orher business they xant use this information to sekl tour name to marketers Shame on them for trying to use information to provide better service.

Ha! Do you know PEPCO? Do you really think the Smartmeter is going to lead to 'better service'? HAHAHAHAHA

My guess is there is some benefit to them. And, if the Public Service Commission is allowing people to opt-out, maybe they think something is up?

probably so they can sell your data to the GE's, Samsungs, Apple's, Bose's of the world. all the benefits they espouse can be achieved through other methods. some financial analysts at PEPCO calculated that the investment in the smartmeters can be paid back in 17 months and after that it is pure icing on their cake. just think of all the data they can package up to sell to the product development folks, the marketers, etc.

There must be some benefit to PEPCO or else they wouldn't be doing it. And if they are spending all this cash to do it, they must have a plan to make that money back.

Ha. Of course there is a benefit to PEPCO for doing this. Like countless other utilities in the US, they are using the Stimulous money to pay for it.
"Pepco has received $68.85 million in federal stimulus grants to help fund Pepco’s smart meter program in Maryland."
http://www.pepco.com/welcome/news/releases/archives/2011/article.aspx?cid=1755

I like technology and believe that smart meters are a good technology. But don't worry that PEPCO is digging into their pockets to do this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone explain the real privacy issue here? Anyone can walk up to your house and read your meter. Anyone can watch when your lights go on and off. And the power company can read your meter whenever they want. Unlike practically every orher business they xant use this information to sekl tour name to marketers Shame on them for trying to use information to provide better service.

Ha! Do you know PEPCO? Do you really think the Smartmeter is going to lead to 'better service'? HAHAHAHAHA

My guess is there is some benefit to them. And, if the Public Service Commission is allowing people to opt-out, maybe they think something is up?

More likely the commission knows that people in general are stupid and they really don't want to hear endlessly from stupid people, so they preemptively assuaged the stupid people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They aren't selling your data, and frankly it reflects poorly on the protesters that they make wild guesses like that without any information. Smart meters improve service by allowing them to better understand load, ID outages, and spot quality problems before you do.

It was only two weeks ago that people were complaining that they got calls saying their service was restored when it wasn't. Gee if only there was a device that could tell them exactly which homes were out.. Oh wait there is.

There are a lot of posters who just want PEPCO to suck. In June you complain about tree pruning. In late June you complain about outages. In July you are complaining about smart meters.

And then in August, after you have refused any feasible approach to improvement you will deny them rate increases so thru can't spend more to be better. So I imagine in September you will wonder our loud why the wires aren't all underground.

I don't think it would be a wise decision to put all the wires underground, although some key lines should be. I want them to be a regulated utility that is held accountable by a strong state regulator.

I want PEPCO to be required to allow more distributed generation in their system, to allow private wire sales within their territory and to actually use the smart grid technology that they are installing to actively manage their system and recover more quickly from weather events. Yes, they are allowed to make a regulated profit from their operations and if they don't like it they should encourage a buyout to turn it into a state or county-owned municipal utility.