Regions will receive notifications about transitioning to Digital Voice, following what BT refers to as “successful pilots” in Salisbury, Wiltshire, and Mildenhall, Suffolk earlier this year. The company has initiated contact with customers in the East Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber, and Northern Ireland. This outreach will expand to encompass the entire UK in three phases: autumn 2023, spring 2024, and summer 2024. BT developed the Digital Voice service to replace its previous analog service.
For the Digital Voice rollout, BT plans to contact customers at least four weeks before the switch takes place, ensuring they are prepared for the transition, starting with Autumn 2023 in the North West and London. In Spring 2024, the rollout continues in the West Midlands, South East, Wales, and East Anglia. The final phase in Summer 2024 will cover the North East, Scotland, and South West regions. BT will also employ local advertisements to support the transition and hold ‘town hall’ drop-in meetings to address any questions.
The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) will be discontinued by December 2025. After this date, all forthcoming phone services will rely on internet connections and will require a different infrastructure.
BT has announced that, initially, they won’t be taking proactive steps to switch customers who have indicated their reliance on healthcare pendants, exclusive landline usage, the absence of mobile signal, or the disclosure of additional needs. They have encouraged customers falling into these categories to get in touch with them to ensure their data is up to date. Additionally, BT mentioned that some customers in England will receive invitations to switch “in advance of local and regional campaigns in their area.” For more information, please visit BT’s website.
