Some migrations to digital telecare are being paused temporarily due to risk of service disruption

Recently, BT has been informed about incidents involving telecare users from another communications provider who had been switched to a digital landline.

In light of this news, the telecoms industry, including BT, has agreed that the right thing to do is to temporarily pause all non-voluntary, managed migrations to a digital landline where there is any risk that a customer’s telecare service will not continue to work.

As part of ensuring that the necessary steps are taken to support customers making the switch, BT says it welcomes the introduction by the UK Government of an industry charter.

BT states that it fully supports the formation of this charter and efforts to encourage local authorities and telecare providers to work with the industry on information sharing agreements, which will help to identify telecare users before they switch.

The urgency for switching customers onto newer digital services grows by the day, because the resilience of the 40-year-old analogue landline technology is increasingly fragile.

Ofcom states that it has been clear with telecoms providers that they must minimise disruption and identify, protect, and support vulnerable customers during the migration from analogue to digital landlines.

According to BT, it is critically important that manage customer migrations from old to new are managed as quickly and smoothly as possible, while making the necessary provisions for those customers with additional needs, including telecare. The charter of commitments will help significantly in achieving these objectives.

BT states that it wants to reassure its customers that it will continue to maintain strict policies to protect telecare users and vulnerable customers where BT is made aware of their status.

For those who use telecare, BT says it will only switch them to Digital Voice where the telecare provider or the customer can confirm their service is compatible and functions using a digital landline. BT offer these customers free resilience solutions such as battery back-up units and hybrid phones.

Customers who are unsure or who have told BT that they have a telecare device which is not compatible with a digital landline will not be switched until they tell BT they are ready.

Ofcom has also been keeping a close eye on progress, including publishing industry guidance and stepping in to remind companies of their obligations. It updated its ‘Treating Vulnerable Customers Fairly guide’ in September 2022. The guide suggests measures telecoms providers can adopt to make sure they treat vulnerable customers fairly, and these expectations also apply to the PSTN switch-off process.

BT works with some participating local authorities and telecare providers across the country to identify users through information sharing agreements and regularly ensure data remains up to date. However, it urges all local authorities and telecare providers to share their data with it so it can cross-reference this against BT’s own database.

Meanwhile, BT will continue to work with its Digital Voice Advisory Group charity partners, housing associations, care homes, and key industry groups to shape its approach to supporting vulnerable customers to ensure processes are designed to meet their needs.

This includes check-in points with customers, via text message and postcards, to encourage them to test to ensure their service is working and to make sure they have the right back-up solutions in place.

Together with the UK Government, Ofcom, telecoms providers, charity partners, and key industry groups, BT is working hard to ensure that everyone knows about the change, how they will be impacted, and what they need to do  Further information about the industry-wide change can be found on the GOV UK website.

A new digital health plan to improve people’s health experiences was launched at the Health Service Executive (HSE) ‘Better Together for Digital Healthcare’ conference on 1 December 2023.