Telecare users and their loved ones across the UK urged to speak to telecoms providers ahead of switch to digital landlines - GOV.UK Press Release
The 2 million vulnerable people who rely on lifesaving telecare alarms to call for help have today been urged to get in touch with their landline providers so companies can provide additional support for them during the switch to digital landlines.
- Users of lifesaving alarms encouraged to call their providers to access additional free support with the switchover from copper to digital landlines
- During the switchover, telecoms companies will send engineers to help customers and test connections of telecare alarms used by 2 million nationwide
- Comes as BT and Virgin Media launch national awareness campaign, supported by the UK government, to ensure no one gets overlooked during vital digital migration
The switch from analogue to digital landlines is being rolled out across the country as copper networks become increasingly unreliable and spare parts are no longer available.
Putting safety at the centre of the switchover, landline companies will send an engineer to carry out the switchover and personally test the telecare alarm, ensuring it continues to work once a household has moved onto the digital network.
Landline providers will also offer vulnerable customers a free battery back-up device so their landline can continue working in an outage.
It comes as a major new campaign funded by BT and Virgin Media and backed by the UK government launches today (Monday 2 June), urging the millions of telecare users in the UK– typically elderly and disabled people – as well as their support network to identify themselves so nobody gets overlooked.
Many local authorities and private telecare operators have already signed data sharing agreements with landline providers to ensure that as many telecare users have been identified as possible. With over two thirds of landlines already migrated, the campaign is the final layer of protection to identify any additional users.
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This Press release was written by GOV.UK and Published 2 June 2025.
Find the full release here