Is Your Telecare Alarm Switchover-Ready?

The short version: UK landlines are going digital by January 2027. Some older alarms stop working when this happens. A quick check now avoids a nasty surprise later.

What’s changing

Old landlines used to get power straight from the phone exchange. That’s changing everywhere in the UK. Phones will soon run over broadband instead.

Most alarms cope fine with this. But some older ones — the kind that dial out down the old copper wire — can stop working when the switch happens. The wall socket looks the same. The alarm doesn’t warn you first.

Check this in 2 minutes

Prefer to answer a few quick questions rather than work it out yourself? Try our free Pendant Alarm Switchover Checker — 5 questions, no jargon, nothing saved or sent anywhere.

• Look at the box or manual. Words like “digital-ready,” “mobile,” “SIM,” or “cloud-based” are good. “Analogue” or “PSTN” means it may need replacing.
• Call the alarm provider. Ask: “Will this still work after the digital switchover?” A good provider will give you a straight yes or no.
• Ask your phone company when your line switches. This tells you how much time you have.

Providers are supposed to spot telecare users automatically and take extra care — but don’t assume they will. In December 2025, Ofcom fined Virgin Media £23.8 million after finding it had disconnected telecare customers during its digital switchover, leaving some alarms unable to reach monitoring centres. It’s a real rule, and a real, documented failure to follow it. Worth checking yourself rather than assuming it’s been handled.

If the alarm needs replacing

Don’t wait until the last minute. Mobile alarms (ones that use a SIM card, like a mobile phone does) avoid the problem completely — they never depended on the landline in the first place. They also work outside the house, not just near the base unit.

Affiliate link: if you buy a SureSafe alarm through a link on this page, CarersInfo may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It doesn’t change what we recommend, and nothing in our free checkers is paid for.

SureSafe makes alarms built this way. Their SureSafeGO pendant and watch work without a landline, include 24/7 monitoring and fall detection, and can be used at home or out and about. Prices change, so check SureSafe’s site for the current cost of the alarm and the monthly monitoring.

Take a look at the SureSafeGO if an upgrade is due.

Sources: Ofcom, “Ofcom fines Virgin Media £23.8 million for putting vulnerable customers at risk of harm” (1 December 2025); House of Commons Library briefing CBP-9471; GOV.UK. Checked September 2026.

Related Reading

Why the Digital Switchover Matters More If You Live Far From Your Parents — managing this from a distance? Here’s what changes.