The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has announced an agreement with telecom providers aimed at ensuring the safety of vulnerable individuals reliant on telecare systems during the shift to digital infrastructure.
The move addresses growing concerns about the impact of the analogue-to-digital transition on critical safety alarms, a key component of telecare services.
The DSIT has mandated telecom providers to offer engineer visits for vulnerable customers during the digital switchover. Engineers will personally test safety alarms to ensure they remain operational after the transition.
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Erecting Measures Prior to Migration
Telecoms Minister, Chris Bryant, has urged companies to adhere to a strict checklist of safeguards before migrating users from analogue to digital networks. Key measures include ensuring no telecare user is switched without confirmation from the provider, customer, or telecare service that their telecare solution is compatible and functioning.
DSIT has also issued guidance for telecom providers on identifying and supporting vulnerable customers throughout the process, aiming to reduce the risk of disconnections during the migration.
Bryant has further called on providers to strengthen battery backup solutions beyond the current one-hour minimum, enhancing resilience and ensuring access to emergency services during power outages.
In addition, providers have agreed to begin non-voluntary upgrades on a smaller scale before expanding them more broadly, aiming to minimize risks and disruptions during the analogue-to-digital migration. These measures are part of broader efforts to safeguard vulnerable users during the transition.
Prioritizing Vulnerable Individuals
Bryant emphasized the importance of prioritizing the protection of vulnerable individuals during the digital migration, calling it a critical issue he has focused on since taking office. He expressed satisfaction with the collaborative efforts between telecom companies, the government, and local authorities to ensure customer safety.
Bryant has also agreed on the first charter with telecom companies serving critical national infrastructure (CNI), including the water and energy sectors, to address the potential impact of the digital switchover on these essential services. The agreement includes an escalation mechanism for raising concerns with the government, ensuring the continued safe delivery of services during the transition.
Telecom operators reportedly plan to shut down the public switched telephone network (PSTN), which many telecare devices rely on, by the end of 2025, although some have extended the deadline to 2027.
