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British Gas set to start smart meter advertising campaign

British Gas is set to launch a smart meter advertising campaign this week.

The energy company is due to promote smart meters across print and digital media from the middle of this week, ahead of the nationwide rollout, which is due to start in 2015.

Speaking to Utility Week, Paul Nickson, commercial director for British Gas Smart Metering, said “public awareness is very low”, with British Gas estimating only 25 per cent of people “absolutely know” what smart meters are.

He added: “I think there is confusion around what smart is and we need to do a huge amount of work around that awareness.”

British Gas has already installed more than 1 million smart meters into homes and businesses across the UK.

The company has also launched a new app called Mobile Energy (Me), which is targeting customers in their twenties who live in rented accommodation.

The smart phone app, which has been soft-launched via mobileenergy.co.uk and social media, it will initially allow consumers to submit meter readings, predict their energy bills, split bills with housemates, and switch their account to a new address when they move.

Updates to the app are likely to include integration with smart meters and remote heating control, as well as a feature to allow customers to be called back by the call centre, and an ability to compare energy usage with friends or neighbours.