BBC reports that BT is planning to replace analogue phone lines with broadband based ones by 2025
Under the new scheme, rather than being plugged into a phone socket, handsets will be connected to broadband router.
Campaigners have highlighted that plans for this digital switchover which will render traditional landlines redundant will leave rural communities at risk.
In Shropshire, where signal can be patchy, campaigners say older and more vulnerable people who rely on their landlines will be “cut off”.
BT said the move to digital was a necessary upgrade and more efficient.
However, earlier this year the telecoms giant announced a delay to the rollout, recognising that they “have more work to do on getting better back-up solutions in place for when things disrupt the service”.
Full article:
The BBC – Landline digital switch puts rural areas ‘at risk’, say campaigners
In March of this year BT provided the follow statement to RSN:
- Digital Voice is BT’s new home phone service that will mean calls are made over broadband, rather than the old analogue Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). This is a change that all communications providers are making, including BT.
- We’ve listened to the feedback from our customers and realise we underestimated the impact that this technology upgrade could have for some of them. We understand the concerns of people who live in power cut-prone areas or places with poor mobile reception. They worry that in the event of a power cut, they will not be able to call anyone to get help. This is because the fibre cables used by Digital Voice can’t conduct electricity, whilst the copper lines used by the PSTN are able to power traditional home phones.
- Whilst we have alternatives for this in place, we appreciate that these are not yet as good as they could be for all circumstances. This was thrown into sharp relief during the recent storms when some households had to endure long periods without electricity.
- We’re saying sorry to those who’ve been affected. From today, we’ve taken the decision to pause all further Digital Voice switch-overs for customers who don’t want to move to the new technology straight away. We’ll restart the programme once we have key products in place to provide our customers with more resilient connectivity when they need it.
- This will include the roll-out of longer-lasting battery back-up units for use in the event of a power cut, home mobile landlines for people without broadband and hybrid home phones (for customers not comfortable using a mobile, but which can connect via the mobile network if the fixed connection becomes unavailable and with an in-built back-up battery). Customers who want the Digital Voice service can still request this upgrade during the pause period.
- This pause in the programme will also enable us to drive a greater level of public awareness and understanding of the coming change.
- This isn’t and can’t be a permanent halt to the programme. The PSTN is nearing the end of its life. It’s increasingly difficult to maintain and is becoming less and less reliable. Spare parts are no longer made and are increasingly hard to find. The long-term resilience of landline phones needs the retirement of the PSTN and a shift to digital services. It also means we can provide crystal clear call quality, better identify and prevent scam calls and significantly reduce electricity consumption, making it better for the environment. This change is happening in countries across the world.
- But we know we need to do more to support our customers in the short term. We’re working with organisations who support those most reliant on their landlines and those who live in rural communities so that we help everyone make the change to Digital Voice successfully.
- We’re telling people about this change today and you can read more in a blog by BT Consumer’s CEO here.
- If RSN members have any questions about this decision or Digital Voice more generally, please contact us on 0800 800 150
