The widespread switch-off of Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) meters on 30 June will be replaced by a phased-out approach, the government has confirmed.

As of 30 May 2025, statistics from the energy regulator Ofgem revealed that there were still 314,935 RTS meters that needed to be upgraded to a smart meter. This was despite the looming RTS signal switch-off date of 30 June.

In the event of a switch-off, these affected households may find their heating or hot water provisions are disrupted.

The government has now confirmed that instead of a complete switch-off on 30 June, there will rather be a “cautious and targeted” phase out to the RTS service.

Miatta Fahnbulleh, minister for energy consumers, said: “We have stepped in to ensure that thousands of vulnerable consumers with RTS meters do not experience any sudden disruption at the end of this month.

"I will be watching suppliers closely to make sure they are doing everything they can to make sure the transition is as smooth as possible.”

The RTS service, introduced in the 1980s, switches electricity meters between peak and off-peak rates at certain times of day. This lets customers access cheaper, off-peak electricity.

However, the longwave radio signals used to switch tariff rates are being migrated to other broadcasting platforms – effectively ending RTS communication capabilities.

With longwave radio becoming obsolete, it means that RTS meters will not work anymore.

The new phased area-by-area shutdown will initially target localised areas with very few RTS customers. This will hopefully ensure energy suppliers are able to respond effectively to install replacement smart meters. 

In this phased switch-off approach, affected households will be contacted by their energy supplier ahead of time. 

However, if households and businesses think they are still using an RTS meter, they are being encouraged to get in touch with their energy supplier immediately as they will be fast-tracked.

The government has also stressed that it wants energy suppliers to increase momentum in installing replacement meters. 

Charlotte Friel, director for retail pricing and systems at Ofgem, said: “We expect energy companies to go faster, building on the work of the cross-sector taskforce set up by Ofgem that has seen the upgrade rate rise from 1,000 meters per month to more than 1,000 per day.” 

The smart meter roll-out has had somewhat of a rocky road. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) originally planned to fit a smart meter in every home in the country by 2020. This target was abandoned in 2019, with the deadline extended to 2024. 

However, DESNZ’s quarterly report published in November 2024 revealed that as of 30 September 2024 only 65% of all meters were now smart or advanced.

In February 2025, the government moved the goalposts yet again. It launched a consultation on plans to have smart meters installed in 80% of homes and 73% of small businesses by the end of 2025.