Chameleon launches VWAN display for hard-to-connect homes

Chameleon Technology has launched the IHD7-VWAN for the UK government's Virtual Wide Area Network initiative. The device is intended for homes that have struggled to connect to smart metering services.

The launch follows the introduction of VWAN, a scheme developed with the Data Communications Company to address connectivity gaps in properties that cannot reliably send or receive traditional smart meter signals.

The new in-home display uses a household's Wi-Fi connection, with the consumer's consent, to help pass smart meter data to the Data Communications Company. It creates two Wi-Fi connections: one for a secure tunnel carrying smart meter data to the DCC, and another linking to Chameleon's cloud systems for product support.

The approach is aimed at so-called black spots, where connectivity problems have left some households unable to use smart metering. Information released alongside the launch said the wider VWAN initiative could support smart metering in up to 350,000 hard-to-connect homes.

That figure underlines a persistent issue in the UK's smart meter rollout. Geography, building type and local signal conditions have prevented some properties from maintaining the communications link needed for meter data to flow through the national network. VWAN is intended to provide another route by relying on home broadband rather than traditional communications paths.

For Chameleon, the new product extends its existing role in the in-home display market. More than 12 million of its displays are already installed in homes across Great Britain, while its wider customer base reaches more than 20 million people.

The IHD7-VWAN combines several functions in one unit, including consumer access device services, prepayment functionality and the new Virtual Wide Area Network connection. This integrated design is intended to reduce operational complexity for energy suppliers while giving more options to households that have previously been left outside the smart metering system.

Connectivity gap

The challenge addressed by VWAN has been a long-running one for the energy sector. Smart meters rely on communications links to send readings and other information through the Data Communications Company, which acts as the national data network for Britain's smart meter system. In homes where that connection is weak or unavailable, meters may lose smart functions or may not be installed with full functionality at all.

Using in-home displays as part of the communications route marks a different approach. Rather than depending solely on external signal reach, the VWAN model uses the household's own Wi-Fi network to bridge the gap. That means consumer consent is part of the process, because the connection uses the home internet service to support meter communications.

Rollout support

Chameleon said it supports the staged rollout of the VWAN programme. The Harrogate-based company also has operations in France and Hong Kong, and focuses on devices and data services linked to energy use in homes and businesses.

Kyle Brown commented on the product launch as the wider initiative begins to take shape. “The Virtual Wide Area Network is a vital development for smart meter connectivity, and the launch of our IHD7-VWAN demonstrates Chameleon's commitment to supporting this next phase of the rollout. We are continually pushing to help bring the benefits of smart metering to as many homes as possible and feel very proud to be working with the energy industry and the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero to continue helping the industry overcome connectivity challenges. Chameleon is leading the way in enabling a more connected, data-driven home energy ecosystem,” said Brown, Chief Commercial Officer, Chameleon Technology.

The introduction of VWAN adds another layer to efforts to complete smart meter coverage across Britain, particularly in areas where the existing network has proved difficult to extend. The remaining gap, affecting up to 350,000 homes, suggests the issue remains significant for suppliers and policymakers seeking wider smart meter adoption.

Chameleon's device enters this part of the market with a design tailored to the new framework set by government and the Data Communications Company, linking a familiar household energy display to a new communications function for homes that have remained outside the reach of standard smart meter signals.