Published on
19 January 2026
Check your energy meter - upgrade to avoid heating and hot water supply disruption
Old meters may stop working and cause issues with your supply
Residents who use all‑electric heating or off‑peak tariffs are urged to check whether they have a Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) electricity meter and to contact their supplier to book a replacement.
The national RTS radio signal has been phased down area‑by‑area since 30 June 2025 and will continue through 2026, meaning older meters that rely on it may stop switching correctly between peak and off‑peak rates.
This can impact storage heaters and hot water systems, and in some cases increase bills if charging happens at the wrong time.
Residents impacted will be getting letters from Ofgem to encourage them to switch. Almost 200 RTS monitors need to be replaced in Wokingham Borough.
RTS meters explained
RTS meters use a long‑range radio signal to switch older, multi‑rate electricity meters between cheaper night‑time and daytime tariffs (including Economy 7 and Economy 10) and to trigger some heating/hot water controls.
The infrastructure that transmits the signal is now end‑of‑life and can no longer be reliably maintained, so the signal is being switched off in a carefully sequenced programme.
Switch off dates
There is no single nationwide ‘off’ date.
Instead, the RTS service started phasing out from 30 June 2025, with suppliers notifying customers at least two weeks in advance of any local change and continuing to book replacement appointments.
Ofgem have signalled the push to make 2026 the last year for RTS.
How to spot if you (or a neighbour) might have an RTS meter
- A separate box near your electricity meter labelled ‘Radio Teleswitch’
- Electric heating - particularly storage heaters, panel heaters or immersion tanks that charge overnight
- No gas supply locally - more common in rural areas or some high‑rise blocks
- A time‑of‑use tariff such as Economy 7, Economy 10 or Total Heat Total Control
Local progress
In Wokingham Borough, 994 households were identified with RTS meters in March 2025.
By October 2025, this stood at 188. If you’re one of them, or if you support someone who might be, check and book an upgrade now.
If your home is all‑electric or on an off‑peak tariff, it’s worth taking five minutes to check your meter and look for a ‘Radio Teleswitch’ label.
Don’t wait for something to go wrong, contact your electricity supplier and book a smart meter upgrade. It’s the technical replacement for RTS, keeps off‑peak benefits and provides accurate bills.
What to do next
- Check your meter area for a box labelled ‘Radio Teleswitch’ and confirm your tariff type
- Contact your electricity supplier to ask if you have an RTS meter and book a smart meter upgrade
- If you’ve already been contacted by your supplier, confirm your appointment
It helps you manage your bills
- Keeps multi‑rate functionality (similar to RTS) for off‑peak charging of heating and hot water
- Accurate bills and automatic readings — no more estimated usage
- Access to smart‑enabled tariffs and better visibility of energy use
