In answer to its Frequently Asked Question, “I still don’t want a smart meter. What can I do?”:
“If you don’t want a smart meter, you can ask your retailer to have the ‘smart’ or remote telecommunications function turned off either before it is installed or after it has been installed.
A smart meter that does not transmit data remotely is known as a Type 4A meter … It will record your electricity usage and will need to be read manually by a technician…”
A NSW resident’s experience of removing the communications from a smart meter follows:
“I have recently moved into a short-term rental and had the communications antenna removed from my digital meter which was fully ‘smart’ before then. This was a super simple process. I rang AGL, my providers, asked about the process, got put through to the appropriate department which emailed me under ‘Solar Reconfigurations’ (not sure why the department is called this) and requested the removal of the communications aspect. They told me it would require either a remote ‘switching off’ which would only cost about $15 or for a technician to come and remove part of the meter which would cost around $200 and they weren’t sure which I’d need but would let me know.
A week after moving in a technician arrived and kindly allowed me to take a photo of the modem he removed and opened it up to reveal the SIM, which was the part of the meter communicating with mobile phone base stations about my energy usage constantly during the day/night.
Technically my digital meter is still ‘smart’ in that when someone comes to ‘read’ the meter, much more information is taken. For example today a technician came and used a plug-in device that was Bluetooth-connected to his phone, whereupon he told me data was being transmitted about my usage – more than what would occur with the simple reading of my old analogue meter.
We used this time to discuss the biological health impact of EMF – he was quick to dismiss what I gently began to share by warning me about the Sun 
(that old chestnut!) but eventually we had a conversation about the $25 million National Toxicology Program study, funded by the US gov and the development of malignant cancers in male rats when exposed to radiation from 3G phones. Good time well spent even if he was relieved when I finally left him alone and went back inside. Bless 
.”
Pics:
1. I’m pointing to the area the technician plugged his device into which then was connected to his phone when taking my meter reading.
2. The technician showing the removed modem from my smart meter.
3. The technician showing the SIM which was inside the modem.
Source: Facebook ‘Removing “Comms” from Smart Meters’, June 16 2025
Stop Smart Meters Australia 
The problem is the radiation in a mesh grid network that exists everywhere in the air and also travels through the copper wiring in houses and comes out the power points, I have even had a technician from powercor tell me how on farms they have to turn up the signal (radiation) as high as it goes to get connection and he has been told that’s ok!!! I have spent the last 12 years testing and researching the network and unless it’s understood how it works and what it is people are going to continue to be diagnosed with neurological conditions (inflammation of the nervous system) and never understand why. Most people who sleep with the meterbox off the bedroom wall have conditions like MND, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, MS etc. I had my card removed in 2015 (Victoria) as I proved to them that they have lied about how they work, as a person who has suffered with radiation sickness since the meter was installed (2011) removing the card doesn’t mean I’m no longer exposed and 10 years on I still suffer.
At least you managed to get the comms card removed! That’s a step in the right direction and something denied to so many other Victorians.
I wonder if it’s the increased dirty electricity that is the culprit now? Or are there close by neighbouring smart meters?
I too have been suffering since smart meters were rolled out in Victoria. When one was installed on my home in 2011, I became so ill that I had to leave my job and we moved house to one that did not have a smart meter.
Even now, still with no s/m on my own home, I have not had an uninterrupted night’s sleep since, as I get woken up when the smart meters in our area are dumping their data. I hear a high pitched ringing and my skin starts to prickle. I feel like I am cooking and have a tightness in my chest. This all lasts for about 20 mins. This is despite the fact that I turn off all our mains power (except for the fridge circuit) each night, so I know it is coming from outside my home.
You are so lucky to have had your comms card removed. I would love to know how that eventuated, as I am sure there are others who would like to be able to do that too.
Too bad this is not the case in Victoria.
Thankyou VERY much for sharing the experience of this aware lady’s experience, it’s really helpful to know.
We HAVE to find ways around this evil tech!
Congratulations on fighting for what you believe and for giving others out there hope, that it is possible to still have a so called smart meter without any RF Exposure once the communications module is removed.
So now do you have quarterly fees for them to read the meter???? Also do you think by having the communication thing removed your bills won’t go up and up like a lot of other smart meter households? regards Deni
Well done you!
Good to hear it is possible to get these things changed