BT and other telecommunications providers have agreed to stop pushing customers onto the new digital phone network following a series of “serious incidents” involving the failure of personal “tele-care” alarms.
Technology Minister Michelle Donelan has called a meeting with leading telcos including Sky, BT, Virgin Media 02 and TalkTalk following the failure of telecare devices – personal alarms designed to be activated in health emergencies – used by an estimated 1.8 million elderly and vulnerable people . Failed by digital landlines after the decline.
Alarm buttons, usually worn around the neck or wrist, automatically call a response center when pressed from the user’s landline. Operators can then check if a person needs assistance and send someone if necessary.
Although telemaintenance systems work with digital landlines, a power outage or internet outage can cause them to malfunction.
Copper telephone lines often continue to work even during power outages.
On Monday, Ms Donelan said firms had agreed a range of new measures to protect vulnerable customers as phone lines were upgraded to a new digital network.
He said: “It is absolutely right that the most vulnerable people in our society should feel safe and have full confidence in the services available to them. So I brought our largest network providers and our industry regulator to the table and agreed to a strict set of principles to reassure and reassure people.
“The problems that families have had to endure recently are unacceptable and today’s agreements will help protect consumers in the future.”
Providers have agreed to carry out extra checks on people who have already been forcibly displaced to ensure that they do not have telecare devices unknown to the provider and that appropriate support is provided if available.
No telecare user, provider, customer or telecare company will be switched to digital landline services without confirming that they have a compatible and functioning telecare solution.
Providers will also be required to provide backup solutions that go beyond Ofcom’s minimum of one hour of continuous, uninterrupted access to emergency services in the event of a power outage.
Telecommunications minister Sir John Whittingdale said: “These commitments are a promise to the most vulnerable people in our society; we will leave no stone unturned to make your safety and security the number one priority for our phone providers.
“When people need help, they should have every confidence that the services available to them will provide the help they need, and I am clear that the recent failures must never happen again.”
In November 2017, BT announced its intention to retire analogue telephone networks such as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) by the end of 2025.
The industry will upgrade landline services to new digital technology that uses an internet connection such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), Digital Voice or All-IP telephony.
On Monday BT said in a blog: “Last week we were made aware of incidents involving another communications provider’s telecare users switching to a digital landline.
“In light of this news, the telecommunications industry, including BT, agrees that a temporary pause on all involuntary, managed migrations to digital landlines where there is a risk that the customer’s telecare service will not continue to work is the right thing to do.
“We welcome the introduction of an industry charter by the Government as part of ensuring the necessary steps are taken to support customers to make the switch.
“We fully support the creation of this charter and efforts to encourage local authorities and telecare providers to work with the industry on information sharing agreements that will help us identify telecare users before they switch.”
A Virgin Media spokesperson said: “There is significant work being done across the industry to protect voice networks for the future.
“We welcome the ongoing discussion and collaboration with the Government, Ofcom and industry stakeholders on this important issue and have agreed a set of industry-wide commitments.
“As well as improving our own processes, we look forward to discussing in more detail how local authorities and telecare providers can work better with the sector to help identify and support people who are vulnerable or need additional help.
“In line with the agreed commitments, we have paused the transitions, expanding the scope of measures we already have in place, while we review our processes to further support consumers.”