First Local Authority in Wales Completes Digital Phone Switchover

The Bridgend County Borough Council (BCBC) today claims to have become the “first local authority in Wales” to complete a digital switchover of its telecare alarms. This has seen them move away from BT and Openreach’s old copper-based analogue line services (PSTN phones and WLR) to adopt internet-based solutions instead.

Just to recap. The shift to digital landlines is an industry, not government, led programme that is partly driven by the looming retirement of copper lines in favour of full fibre (FTTP) broadband. Not to mention that modern mobile and Internet Protocol (IP)-based communication services have largely taken over from traditional analogue phones, and it’s become harder to find parts for the old network.

The plan to switch-off older phone lines was recently delayed by BT to 31st January 2027 in order to give internet and phone providers, as well as telecare providers and consumers, more time to adapt (details). But the main focus of this delay was on the 1.8 million people who use vital home telecare systems in the UK (e.g. elderly, disabled, and vulnerable people), which often aren’t compatible with the replacement VoIP / IP-based digital phone services (i.e. for everybody else the deadline is still technically Dec 2025).

In addition, last month saw the Government agree to a new Telecare National Action Plan with major UK communication providers (e.g. BT, Virgin Media, Vodafone and Sky Broadband). This requires them to do more to protect vulnerable telecare users when upgrading phone lines to new digital (IP based) networks.

However, the challenges involved in this are not merely a matter for telecoms providers, as local authorities and other sectors (e.g. lift operators) have also needed to adapt. This is thus just as much of a challenge for the telecare and alarm providers themselves to get to grips with (i.e. failing to upgrade their systems), which have thus far been slow to adapt and that’s despite having years of warning.

The good news today, at least from Wales, is that the Bridgend County Borough Council has completed a digital switchover of its telecare alarm calls. As part of this, the council has installed over 2,200 new units in advance of the move away from using the PSTN network to digital networks. The local switchover programme is said to have started in January 2024 and has cost £1m to deliver, using equipment manufactured by Legrand Care and supported by telecare service providers, Care & Repair and Galw Gofal.

Cllr Jane Gebbie, Bridgend’s Deputy Leader, said (UKAuthority):

“The completion of the digital switchover for our telecare clients is a key milestone for the authority and improves the reliability and efficiency of telecare services, ensuring that vulnerable residents receive a faster and more responsive level of support.

The success of this switchover has also provided the foundation to moving forward with technological developments to support our services.”

Interestingly, the council reports that the switchover had also provided telecare users with “better call quality and reliability” – with fewer failed calls to the call centre – and given service providers a real time overview of the status of the appliances used. We don’t often hear about the positives of this switch, so that does make for a refreshing change, even if a lot of UK councils have yet to complete similar work.

The programme has also provided scope to combine telecare with telehealth support for people who need it.