BT and Virgin Media have been told to stop forcing digital phone lines on vulnerable customers after power cuts left them unable to use their telecare devices.
Government officials met technology companies following reports of “serious incidents” where personal alarms failed.
Around 1.8 million people use telecare alarms (example pictured right). When pressed, they call a response centre for medical help.
Some telecare systems can work with digital landlines, but they require internet access. This is lost in a power cut unless the customer has a backup power supply.
Both companies have been rolling out digital lines to customers across the UK to help them prepare for the copper phone network being switched off at the end of 2025.
BT said it will pause all “non-voluntary” switching to digital lines “where there is any risk that a customer’s telecare service will not continue to work” (www. snipca.com/48865).
It said that it will only switch vulnerable customers if “the telecare provider or the customer can confirm their service is compatible and functions using a digital landline”.
The company added that it offers free “resilience solutions” such as battery back-up units and hybrid phones so customers can stay connected in power cuts.
Phone companies have said part of the problem is they don’t always know who has a telecare device. They want local authorities and telecare firms to share data on who has a device.
Charter for vulnerable customers
It’s the second time BT has halted its Digital Voice rollout, having paused it in March 2022 following Storms Arwen and Eunice, which left people unable to phone 999. It resumed the rollout in June last year, and plans to offer digital phones to all UK regions by the summer.
A Virgin Media spokesman said: “In line with the agreed commitments, we have paused switchovers as we review our processes to further support consumers, building on the range of measures that we already have in place.”
In addition, both companies, along with KCOM, Shell Energy, Sky, TalkTalk and Vodafone, have signed a Government charter (www.snipca.com/48867) that has five pledges to protect vulnerable customers (see box left).
Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan said: “The recent issues families have had to endure are unacceptable and today’s agreements will help to protect consumers in future.”
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