As we get ever closer to the analogue switch off in January 2027, Appello has partnered with housing providers across the UK to help them navigate the digital transition with confidence.
In this blog post, we explore how ten customers successfully tackled their biggest challenges with proven solutions:
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SmartBridge – safely extending life of analogue equipment
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Digital warden call systems – adaptable telecare that grows with your needs
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Appello Careline – future proof monitoring trusted by 400,000+ people
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CareNet EVO – award-winning call handling platform
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Out-of-hours call handling – a seamless extension to your team
Find out how we've helped organisations like yours meet the demands of digital to keep their communities safe and living well.
Challenge: Extending the life of existing analogue equipment while maintaining the safety of telecare services
Solution: SmartBridge analogue to digital converter
SmartBridge converts analogue signals into a digital format, offering a cost effective stepping stone to a full digital upgrade.
Key benefits:
- Designed to meet the specific demands of telecare, unlike other converters
- Preserves crucial telecare functions, such as inbound and outbound calling, and call transferring
- Works with a range of devices and analogue protocols
Our customers’ experiences
Sovereign faced high first time call failure rates at two sites in Southampton and needed a swift solution. SmartBridge reduced the call failures to 0% and is now part of their wider digital transition plans, helping alleviate budget pressures.
“I'd absolutely recommend SmartBridge. It’s a really good solution to give you the time you need to plan your digital upgrades. You don't have to have a massive cash injection, you can spread that cost over the course of quite a few years.”
Rianna Wilkinson, Sovereign Network Group
Housing21 needed to achieve digital compliance across 23 Extra Care schemes while keeping existing infrastructure. SmartBridge offered a straightforward solution, resulting in fewer first time call failures and an improvement in overall reliability.
“SmartBridge is a strong option for any organisation looking to modernise their telecare infrastructure without undertaking full replacements. The installation is relatively straightforward (and) the system is reliable... Given the results we’ve seen, I would confidently recommend to others.”
Jacob Sprayson, Housing 21
Challenge: Upgrading to trusted digital telecare systems that can adapt and grow to meet changing requirements
Solution: Appello’s digital warden call and dispersed alarms
Our digital warden call systems (Smart Living Solutions and SmartConnect) provide flexible solutions for group living schemes, while the SmartLife digital dispersed alarm provides peace of mind for individual homes.
Key benefits:
- Built for digital, ensuring instant, reliable emergency responses and long-term adaptability
- Smart Living Solutions offers advanced warden call features, such as video calling, to enhance resident safety and community engagement
- SmartConnect offers a practical, efficient digital warden call system to keep residents connected and protected
- SmartLife digital dispersed alarm provides peace of mind with dual SIM connectivity for additional resilience and compatibility with a wide range of peripherals.
Our customers’ experiences
Richmond Housing Partnership upgraded telecare services across 18 independent living schemes following issues with existing analogue system. Smart Living Solutions was implemented within a tight timeframe, resulting in a positive impact on service delivery, with less maintenance and downtime issues.
"I'm proud to recommend Appello – just knowing what the Smart Living Solutions system is going to do and the potential it has to save a life."
Jitesh Jivram, Richmond Housing Partnership
Castlehill Housing Association provides housing and associated support services for over 2000 property across Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray. SmartConnect was chosen to be installed in Very Sheltered Housing properties, as they were identified as priorities.
“Appello ticked all our boxes, offering the best value in terms of both the quality of the systems and their competitive pricing. The emphasis on future proofing was particularly important, as we wanted to feel confident we were making a sound investment, with a system that will last – and that will enable us to be digitally-ready for our residents.” Craig Fleming, Castlehill Housing Association
Challenge: Delivering the right support with a proven digital monitoring service that meets your needs now and in the future
Solution: Appello Careline
The UK's largest monitoring centre, providing support and reassurance for over 400,000 older and vulnerable people.
Key benefits:
- Seamlessly supports both digital and analogue devices for a smooth transition
- Highly trained operators who meet each individual’s needs with empathy
- Efficient and accurate call handling tailored to your procedures
- Real-time control of your information with secure online access
Our customers’ experiences
Teign Housing needed an efficient monitoring service, with access to customers' information. They found a huge improvement in responsiveness and service delivery, with calls answered quickly and the online management platform enabling real-time updates.
“After implementing the monitoring service, our calls were answered within seconds and enabled a quick response… Appello’s call monitoring service is very efficient and has been an asset to our alarm service.”
Amanda Nicholls, Teign Housing
Southway were looking for a new monitoring provider following previous issues. They wanted access to manage residents’ information and have been impressed with Appello’s online management portal, which gives them the control they need. Everything has worked smoothly from day one.
“I would absolutely recommend Appello. We've had no issues whatsoever. The online management portal has given us the reassurance we can be as in control of our information as we can be. It's been great.”
Gemma Glennon, Southway Housing Trust
Challenge: Ensuring first class call handling with a flexible, future proof digital call platform
Solution: CareNet EVO
Our award-winning call platform, trusted by alarm receiving centres across the UK and beyond.
Key benefits:
- Digitally ready with backwards compatibility for a smooth transition
- Developed on market-leading infrastructure from Microsoft and Amazon to be resilient, secure and scalable
- Intuitive interface with straightforward navigation, giving operators easy access to key information
Our customers’ experiences
Hanover wanted an end to end digital telecare solution for supported housing developments. Appello stood out for "customer-centric focus", with Hanover choosing CareNet EVO call handling platform for their alarm receiving centres and the comprehensive digital warden call system, Smart Living Solutions.
“We’re absolutely delighted to work with Appello. We believe they’re the perfect partner and fit – both strategically, from a future development and innovation perspective, as well as having the right solutions now for our current customers.”
Donna Henderson, Hanover
Careline Support wanted a monitoring platform that could adapt to future needs, streamline operator training and enable remote working. They have found CareNet EVO to be intuitive for operators, while supporting their transition to digital equipment and services.
“Moving to CareNet EVO has been a good decision for our business and we would absolutely recommend it, the whole team loves it.”
James Knight, Careline Support
Challenge: Providing a seamless out of hours service for customers when your office is closed
Solution: Appello Out of Hours Call Handling
The UK's largest monitoring centre, providing essential help and reassurance for everything from emergency repairs to tenant queries.
Key benefits:
- Calls handled the way you want in line with your procedures and policies
- Seamless handover to your day time team, with detailed call records
- Flexible support from highly trained operators, with the scale to maintain service levels even during peak times
Our customers’ experiences
Coastline required reliable out-of-hours service after previous provider issues. They found a dramatic improvement with Appello: calls are answered quickly with responses tailored to Coastline's procedures.
“I would 100% recommend Appello. Put me in a cheerleader outfit and I'll wave the pom poms! Our out of hours service is so much better than it ever was. It's all the details that make it feel above and beyond. I can't praise it enough.”
Tanya Bauer, Coastline Housing
Inclusion Group develops, provides and funds health and social care housing for vulnerable adults across the UK. They were looking for reliable Out of Hours service to take emergency calls when their offices were closed, offering continuing of service.
"That's the key point really: making everything safe. There are many different situations which the out of hours team support us with and ensure that service levels and response to emergencies are maintained. It's a really good service for us to ensure our sites are covered when we're not there.” Alice Hoskins, Inclusion Group
Simplifying your digital switchover
These examples represent just a fraction of our work across the sector. Our track record as market leaders in digital telecare speaks for itself:
- Over 65,000 digital telecare devices installed
- Over 4 million digital calls managed by our Careline team
- Supporting over 4 out of 5 of the UK's largest housing providers on their digital journey
With January 2027 approaching fast, we’re here to help you navigate every stage of your digital transition, from planning through to implementation.
“Appello just have a great reputation. They’re seen as a market leader, so I thought we could trust them. I’d never heard any negative feedback.”
Gemma Glennon, Southway Housing Trust
Ready to take the next step? Talk to us to arrange your pain-free transition to digital telecare.
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