Drop-in sessions to explain home phone changes

The first drop-in session was held at Bilston People’s Centre, Wolverhampton Street, Bilston

A drop-in session has been held for people to find out more about the switchover from analogue phone landlines to digital.

The session was hosted by BT at Bilston People's Centre to explain the change to home phone services.

It was the first of two drop-in sessions being held in Wolverhampton, with the next one taking place on 27 March from 10:00 GMT at Central Library, Snow Hill.

The analogue network that most home phones use will be switched off for all phone providers by 2025.

The new phone service runs on the broadband network and will offer additional benefits such as voicemails and spam call blocking, according to BT.

"The landline is here to stay but it is being upgraded to replace the old analogue technology with a more reliable, future proof digital service that will support residents for years to come," said city councillor Obaida Ahmed.

"These events in Wolverhampton will be a chance to find out what Digital Voice is, why the change is necessary and what it means for you."

The drop-in sessions do not need to be booked and anyone is welcome to attend, according the City of Wolverhampton Council.

Failure in power cuts

The scheme has been criticised by digital exclusion campaigners, who say it will be more complex for people without an existing broadband service, those who use telecare devices, and that it would be subject to failure in power cuts.

This led to government intervention last December, when agreement was reached with telecom firms to slow down the roll-out for vulnerable groups and increase protections.