Built by a formerfamily carer, for family carers
Built by a formerThe UK's old analogue phone network is being switched off — fully, everywhere, by 31 January 2027. For most households that's a non-event. But if the person you care for has a pendant alarm, fall detector, or careline box, it's worth finding out now whether theirs is one of the ones affected — not after it stops working.
About the alarm or careline box belonging to the person you care for — not your own phone line. "I don't know" is a completely fair answer to any of these; it's often the most useful one, because it tells you exactly what to ask about.
Two things happening together, each fairly simple on its own, that add up to a real risk for anyone relying on a landline-connected alarm.
The switchover date has already slipped once (from December 2025), but the final date — 31 January 2027 — is now fixed. Every remaining analogue landline in the UK moves to a digital (broadband-based) line by then, and some areas are being migrated well before that final date.
A lot of pendant alarms and careline boxes were designed to send their signal down an analogue phone line. Move that line to digital without checking first, and the alarm can stop sending a proper signal — the exact scenario the industry campaign linked below is trying to prevent.
Phone companies are required to identify telecare users and take extra care during migration. In December 2025, Ofcom fined Virgin Media £23.8 million for failing to do this properly for vulnerable customers. It's a real, enforced rule — and also a real, documented failure. Worth checking rather than assuming.
An old analogue line kept working in a power cut because it was powered down the copper wire itself. A digital line depends on the router having power — which is why providers are supposed to offer a free battery backup unit to anyone with a telecare dependency, if asked.
This is the single step that matters most. Call the provider (BT, Sky, Virgin Media, TalkTalk, whoever it is) and say plainly that the household has a pendant or careline alarm. This is what triggers the extra safeguards — engineer visits, compatibility checks, and a battery backup — rather than a standard switchover with no one checking the alarm at all.
The phone company and the alarm company are usually different businesses. Ask the alarm provider by name whether the specific unit is confirmed compatible with a digital line, or whether it needs testing, an adaptor, or a replacement. Don't assume "modern-looking" means already digital.
If the answer to Q4 above was "it would stop working" or "I don't know," ask the phone provider directly for a backup battery unit for the router. These are meant to be provided free where a telecare dependency has been declared — but only once the provider actually knows about it.
The switchover has already been used as cover for scam calls and doorstep visits. A genuine provider will never ask for a password, PIN, or bank details over the phone to "process the switchover." If a call feels rushed or high-pressure, hang up and ring the provider back on the number from a real bill, not one given to you in that call.