Digital landline switch could sever telecare alarms

When a personal alarm is triggered, the signal is sent to a monitoring centre where trained operators are available to respond

Telecare alarm users are being urged to call their landline providers to ensure the lifesaving alerts remain on ahead of the switchover from analogue to digital.

Gloucestershire County Council said around 1,700 people across the county rely on the Gloucestershire Telecare service to provide assistance in an emergency.

The monitoring system can alert call centres or carers if vulnerable or disabled people suffer a fall or experience a medical incident and require help.

The switch from traditional analogue landlines to digital landlines in the UK is scheduled to be completed by January 2027. Government ministers have urged people affected to seek help.

Telephone providers are upgrading the landline network across the country from analogue to digital as copper networks become increasingly unreliable and spare parts are no longer available.

But this switch may disrupt telecare alarms, as many older telecare systems rely on the analogue infrastructure to communicate with monitoring centres.

Alerting your landline provider can enable them to update your equipment, or make the necessary arrangements to ensure you stay connected.

Telecoms Minister Sir Chris Bryant said: "We cannot afford to leave anyone behind during the vital transition to digital landlines.

"I urge anyone with a telecare alarm – or anyone close to a user of a telecare alarm - to pick up the phone and contact their provider to access the help that's available."