Radio Teleswitch Service RTS

A Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) meter was in some ways an early pre-curser to the modern smart meter, because it communicated via a radio frequency. It was introduced in the late 1980s transmitting signals to some equipment in homes and businesses across Britain using the long-wave radio frequency. The service allowed homes and businesses to use off peak electricity tariffs that were necessary for night storage heaters via cheaper rate tariffs such as Economy 7, Economy 10 etc.

Today there are around 900,000 RTS meters in the UK, commonly located in areas where there is no mains gas supply and as such electricity is the primary heating energy used. RTS network meters usually have a separate switch box near the meter with a radio teleswitch label, the properties are likely to be heated using electricity or storage heaters as there is no gas supply in the area.

Whilst the announcement regarding the shut down of RTS had been made for just under a year, in January 2025 'Ofgem, energy suppliers and consumer groupsback major new advertising campaign calling for customers with RTS meters to upgrade now'

The campaign launched on Monday 20 January by a taskforce that included energy regulator Ofgem and trade association Energy UK, and supported by consumer groups National Energy Action and Energy Action Scotland.It urges owners of Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) electricity meters to act now and accept the offer of a meter upgrade from their energy supplier.

The campaign is to run across TV, video on demand, radio, digital audio, billboards and local press, highlighting the urgent need for RTS customers to book the installation of a new meter as soon as their energy supplier contacts them. The campaign was launched because of the urgent need to increase the rate of RTS meter upgrades across Great Britain before the signal is switched off from 30 June 2025. It is important that RTS customers book their installation as soon as they are contacted by their supplier. All customers should have been contacted by their supplier by the end of 2024.

Failure to act may result in the heating and/or hot water being continually left on or off, or the charging-up happening at the wrong time of day, leading to higher bills.Customers should be wary of scams and note that their meter replacement comes at no extra cost, so they will not be asked to provide payment details or make any payment when booking an appointment.

Last year a taskforce was set up by the industry in recognition of the scale and significance of the task. It has been coordinating a range of activity and is committed to rapidly increasing the pace and number of RTS upgrades.

RTS meters are older electricity meters that use radio signals to switch between peak and off-peak rates. RTS was introduced in the 1980s and has reached the end of its natural operational life. The radio signal and supporting infrastructure and systems will be shut down from 30 June 2025.

In the campaign, TV presenter Lorraine Kelly explains what the RTS service is and how households and businesses can identify if they have an RTS meter. It urges RTS customers to book a meter upgrade and outlines the potential consequences of not doing so.

A longer-form film is available on Ofgem’s website. This provides more information about RTS meters to help households and businesses identify if they have an RTS meter.

The RTS Taskforce includes Ofgem, Energy UK, energy suppliers, District Network Operators, Smart Energy GB, government and consumer groups. Taskforce members have signed up to the RTS Call to Action, a commitment to work together to replace RTS meters across Great Britain.

The RTS Taskforce, which was established earlier in 2024, is coordinating activity in areas with the highest number of RTS customers, including working with key stakeholders to raise awareness of this issue among affected homes and businesses. It is devoting extra engineer resource, fast tracking RTS meter upgrades and prioritising customers in vulnerable circumstances. It is also tackling technical challenges and sharing knowledge and expertise to deliver solutions.

Fuel poverty charities National Energy Action (NEA) and Energy Action Scotland (EAS) are also supporting the campaign. The RTS Taskforce is helping NEA and EAS’s local partners to understand how the RTS switch off could affect their community members, so that partners can respond to enquiries and encourage affected households and businesses to take action.

You may have an RTS meter if:

You have a switch box near your energy meter labelled Radio Teleswitch
You have electric or storage heaters
There’s no gas supply to 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.

Charlotte Friel, Director for Retail Pricing and Systems for Ofgem, said:

“This new high-profile campaign is a welcome step forward which we hope will enhance the hard work already being done to reach out to affected customers and encourage them to make appointments.

“This kind of collaborative working epitomises why we set up the RTS Taskforce alongside Energy UK, bringing together suppliers and the wider sector to accelerate progress.”

Dhara Vyas, CEO of Energy UK, said:

“Energy suppliers are working closely with consumer groups and the regulator Ofgem to urge customers with Radio Teleswitch (RTS) meters to act now to upgrade their meter. Energy suppliers continue to make every effort to get in touch with customers to ensure they have a swift and seamless upgrade, and can give extra support to households that need it.

“By making sure they are in contact now, customers can minimise disruption, arrange a smooth meter replacement and continue enjoying the benefits they currently receive from RTS.”

Danni Barnes, Director of Development and Partnerships at National Energy Action, said:

“Radio Teleswitch (RTS) meters are often used with ageing electric heating systems, which are more common in areas experiencing severe fuel poverty. The switch-off could exacerbate costs for households already struggling and result in households losing control of their heating and hot water. In the worst cases, some may not be able to use their heating or hot water at all. It is crucial for anyone with a RTS meter to contact their supplier urgently to get their meter changed. Equally important is supporting people within our communities who may lack the confidence to do this on their own.”

Frazer Scott, CEO of Energy Action Scotland, said:

“It is vitally important that awareness of the Radio Teleswitch shutdown is raised both quickly and widely as for decades it has provided controls that provide heat and hot water to homes across Scotland with electric heating. When it does stop, people could be left without heat or be powerless to prevent bills from spiralling if their heating stays on. We urge everyone, customers, landlords and local, regional and national charities to respond to the campaign to ensure that no individual and no household is left without and at risk.”