- Cross-Party MPs Warn of Ongoing Risk to Life in UK Digital Phone Switch**
A cross-party group of MPs has sounded the alarm over the ongoing risk to vulnerable people as the UK transitions from traditional landlines to digital phone services. The Digital Communities All-Party Parliamentary Group (DC APPG) released a report highlighting the potential dangers faced by the 1.8 million elderly, disabled, and at-risk individuals who rely on telecare systems that may not be compatible with new IP-based networks.
- Delays and Challenges**
The industry-led switchover, originally slated for completion by December 2025, has been pushed back to January 31, 2027 to allow more time for adaptation. However, the report argues that the current approach has created a “complex landscape” fraught with technical and personal challenges.
Helen Morgan MP, Chair of the DC APPG, emphasized the need for government leadership and coordination. “The risk to life if residents are not safely migrated is real,” she stated. “A digital transformation project of this kind cannot be allowed to be led by industry operatives alone.”
- Tragic Consequences**
The report cites the deaths of two vulnerable virgin Media customers as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of mishandling the transition. Despite recent efforts by providers to introduce enhanced battery backup solutions and a temporary “Pre-Digital Phone Line” service for at-risk users, concerns persist about overreliance on self-identification of vulnerability and the potential for scams targeting confused customers.
- Calls for Action**
Among its recommendations, the DC APPG calls for:
- Clearer government oversight and compliance monitoring
- Ringfenced funding for local authorities to coordinate digital transformation
- Audits by businesses and councils to identify impacted technology
- Longer-lasting battery backup requirements from ofcom
- Certification of all telecare providers to ensure high standards
- Sharing of vulnerability data between communication and mobile providers
Critics argue that while well-intentioned, the report comes too late in a complex process that began planning a decade ago. Centralized government control may not be the answer, but all stakeholders must work together to ensure no one is left behind or put at risk in the name of technological progress.
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