A seamless Northbridge utilities connection

A "Smart Meter", or digital meter, records your energy consumption every 30 minutes and sends usage data to your retailer. This means you get more timely and accurate bills, and can receive bills monthly.

Unlike smart meters, "Basic Meters" measure your usage from one point in time to another and are read by a meter reader every 3 months.

Smart meters generally have a digital face with numbers or digits that represent your current read data and electricity consumption.

Basic or analogue meters generally have a dial that spins around, recording your consumption in kWh.

Your main switch is located in your fuse or meter box. Depending on your property, your meter box could be:

• on an outside wall
• in your garage
• in your hallway
• in a kitchen cupboard

In your meter box there'll be a number of switches. Look for the one that has the "main switch" label. Some properties also have a hot water switch - if yours does, you'll need to look for that one too.

Flick the main switch (and hot water switch if you have one) to the off position (this might be shown as an | for on and O for off) to allow your electricity connection to take place.

Once your power company has confirmed your electricity is connected, switch the main switch and hot water switch back on.