British Gas has enabled customers to control their heating over the internet, including the use of smartphones.
Hive Active Heating is a service that lets people control their heating and hot water remotely from a smartphone, tablet, SMS or via a website. British Gas claims Hive Active Heating could save households up to £150 a year by allowing them to only heat their homes and water when they need to.
Nina Bhatia, managing director for British Gas connected homes, said: “We are increasingly relying on technology to manage everyday activities from banking, to parking, to grocery shopping.
"However, at the core of our homes and in the way we use energy, there has been limited innovation since the mass adoption of central heating in the 1970s. Hive will revolutionise the way we manage our homes, making the connected home a reality.
Hive is available for installation by British Gas for £199.