KIB-TEK remote electronic meter project

By Margaret Sheard….

Many people will today have received an SMS message from Kib-Tek asking for information to be sent to 9898 in respect of the new remote electronic meter project which will eventually replace the existing arrangement of manually read meters with paper bills being supplied.

This is the SMS message which many people will have received.

“For every electricity meter registered on our consumers’ name, we kindly ask them to send us an SMS for each meter individually from the GSM number they want to receive their electricity billing information on.  This SMS will be free and should be sent to 9898.  This SMS should include identification number, account number, name and surname and an email address, with a space after each information.  Electricity Authority of Northern Cyprus (KIB-TEK).”

Tüketıcı/consumer No.        *********

Hesap/Account No.             *********

Adı /First Name  (Fred)   Soyadı /Family Name  (Bloggs)

Email address :                     ***********

On reading a Facebook message from KP Daily News, this reassured readers that the SMS messages were not a hoax and consumers need to respond.  The article included the information which needs to be supplied, which differed from the SMS message in respect of the listed order of the items required.  To see the article click here

As there seems to be some confusion, we decided to pay a visit to the Electricity Office in Girne to establish the correct procedure to be followed.   We were told that the information required to be sent by SMS to 9898 is as repeated above and below.

Tüketıcı/consumer No.        *********

Hesap/Account No.             *********

Adı /First Name  (Fred)   Soyadı /Family Name  (Bloggs)

Email address :                     ***********

As normal where there is a language problem it is not always easy to understand a new procedure which no doubt will become clear in due course but will obviously result in many questions being asked, example as follows:-

1. Do all Kib-tek customers have mobile phones?
2. Expat customers who own a property but only visit infrequently, unless they have arrangements to have their electricity bill paid by an agent, will presumably not know of these new arrangements.

So is SMS billing something to worry about?  In principle – No.  For example my partner has a contract account with Turkcell and receives a monthly bill by SMS with a due date and he visits the local office to make payment.  It should be added that they also provide a facility for direct debit payments.

Therefore, as far as Kib-tek are concerned no doubt we will learn more of their intended billing and payment system in due course.

There is an article on the internet which gives interesting information – Kamstrup bags smart meter tender in Northern Cyprus – to read this click here

You can also read about the new system on the Kib-Tek website click here