Veolia Energy Tashkent cites infrastructure constraints behind smart meter disruptions

Reports have circulated on social media that in several districts of Tashkent, smart meters are not transmitting data and are not appearing in consumers’ personal online accounts. In response, the company explained that the functionality of automatic data transfer depends not only on the metering devices, but also on the availability and coverage of the supporting communications network, including receiving antennas and data transmission channels.

According to the company, the coverage of this infrastructure has not yet reached full capacity. In some residential buildings and facilities, signals from meters may not reach the nearest antenna, while building design and structural features can interfere with stable data transmission. Signal quality may also be affected by external radio-technical factors, such as the presence and placement of objects that disrupt wireless communication. In addition, the installation and activation of new antennas require official permits, which are subject to regulated procedures.

Veolia Energy Tashkent stressed that it is taking all necessary measures to speed up and simplify these processes. The company noted that a temporary failure in automatic data transmission does not indicate that a meter is malfunctioning or unsupported by the system.

Even when a connection is unavailable, the meters continue to accurately record hot water consumption and store the information in their internal memory, the company said. Once a stable connection is restored, the accumulated data are transmitted to the system automatically.

The company added that efforts to expand the data reception network and further develop digital systems are ongoing. As additional antennas come online, a growing number of smart meters are expected to transition fully to automatic transmission of readings.