Together with Government, Ofcom, telecoms providers, charity partners, key industry groups and local authorities, BT is working hard to ensure that everyone knows about the change from analogue to digital landlines, how they will be impacted and what they need to do.
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.
BT recognises it’s critically important to manage customer migrations as quickly and smoothly as possible, while making the necessary provisions for customers with additional needs, including telecare users.
BT has strict policies in place to protect telecare users and vulnerable customers where it is made aware of their status. For those who use telecare, BT will only switch them to its digital landline service, Digital Voice, where BT, the telecare provider or the customer can confirm their service is compatible and functions using a digital landline. BT offers these customers free resilience solutions such as battery back-up units and hybrid phones.
Though BT works with some local authorities and telecare providers to identify users through information sharing agreements and regularly ensures its data remains up to date, BT urges all local authorities and telecare providers to disclose which phone lines have telecare devices. This will ensure that customers receive the right support at the right time.
Local authorities can contact BTDigitalVoice@.bt.com for data sharing agreements.