Protecting Vulnerable Customers: BT and Virgin Media’s Digital Phone Lines

In recent news, BT and Virgin Media have received a strong message from government officials to halt the imposition of digital phone lines on vulnerable customers, particularly those who rely on telecare devices. This move comes after a series of “serious incidents” were reported, where individuals faced critical situations due to the failure of personal alarms during power cuts.

Telecare alarms, used by approximately 1.8 million people, serve as a lifeline in emergencies. When activated, they connect users to a response centre for urgent medical assistance. Some telecare systems can operate with digital landlines, but they rely on internet access, which becomes inaccessible during power outages unless users have a backup power supply.

Both BT and Virgin Media have been actively transitioning their customers to digital lines across the UK as part of preparations for the copper phone network’s retirement by the end of 2025. However, these transitions have raised concerns.

BT has pledged to pause all “non-voluntary” shifts to digital lines if there’s any risk of disrupting a customer’s telecare service. The transition will only proceed if the telecare provider or the customer confirms that their service remains compatible with and functional on a digital landline. To further assist customers during power cuts, BT offers free “resilience solutions” such as battery backup units and hybrid phones.

One significant challenge faced by phone companies is their limited knowledge of customers who use telecare devices. They are now calling for collaboration between local authorities and telecare firms to share data about individuals who rely on these life-saving services.

Notably, this isn’t the first time BT has halted its Digital Voice rollout. It previously paused the transition in March 2022, following severe storms that left people unable to call emergency services. The rollout resumed in June of the same year, with plans to provide digital phones to all regions of the UK by the summer.

Virgin Media also confirmed a pause in switchovers as they review their processes to enhance consumer support, building upon existing measures.

In addition to these actions, BT, Virgin Media, KCOM, Shell Energy, Sky, TalkTalk, and Vodafone have collectively signed a Government charter with five pledges aimed at safeguarding vulnerable customers.

Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan has commented on these developments, stating, “The recent issues families have had to endure are unacceptable, and today’s agreements will help to protect consumers in the future.”