We were delighted to return to the TSA's ITEC Conference for 2025 – this time as a headline sponsor, as well as taking a stand at the exhibition. This is always such a valuable and energising event, bringing the industry together to explore current and future issues of technology enabled care (TEC).
Appello Managing Director, Craig Barlow, shared insights as part of a session on 'Building a Common Understanding of TEC'. This explored the challenge of communicating the life-saving role of technology enabled care and how this supports independent living.
Stephen Brunt, Behavioural Strategy Consultant at June 2 Consulting, spoke about three core principles for successful TEC:
1. Safe and Well - protecting vulnerable individuals.
2. In Control - empowering people to control the support they receive.
3. In Touch - enabling communication.
Craig followed this with a focus on the digital phone switchover, arguably the key issue facing the industry right now.
He emphasised the need for a common understanding of the digital challenge if we are to build the right foundations for effective TEC services, both now and in the future.
But he pointed out there are currently significant cracks in these foundations. These cracks are jeopardising the industry’s ability to deliver on the core principles that Stephen spoke about – and threatening the safety of those relying on telecare services.
State of the telecare industry
Craig revealed some stark realities about the current state of telecare:
- There are now only 13 months until the final digital phone switchover deadline, yet over 23,000 developments in the UK are still using analogue systems.
- Approximately 750,000 vulnerable people remain reliant on outdated emergency alarm systems.
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There has been a significant increase in First Time Call Failure Rates with a failure rate of 26.3% in February 2025.
We have reached a critical point. But the industry is not moving at the required pace, despite the urgent need to upgrade to digital.
Craig argued that we must keep the message simple in order to press forward. After all, there is a straightforward goal at the heart of the digital switchover: protecting vulnerable people.
Are analogue to digital converters a solution?
The hard truth is that the digital challenge will not be met by everyone over the coming months. As Craig explained, there is simply not enough capacity or resource to upgrade all the analogue equipment still in use across the UK by the switchover deadline.
However, he noted that analogue to digital (A2D) converters could offer an important interim solution. These devices can potentially bridge the gap for organisations who are not ready to complete a full digital upgrade.
As Craig pointed out, though, it’s crucial telecare providers understand the essential requirements for A2D converters to ensure these operate safely and deliver a complete telecare service.
This includes confirming:
- Support for inbound and outbound calling
- Call transfer capabilities
- Comprehensive call cataloguing
- Compatibility with a wide range of protocols
- Support for extended peripherals
- SIM backup functionality
Simplifying the digital switchover
Appello was on hand throughout the two-day ITEC conference to answer questions, provide expert advice and perform live demonstrations of our digital products.
As an award-winning digital technology enabled care company, one of our main purposes is to educate the industry, helping those in housing and care to understand what technology enabled care is and how it can help people to live independently for longer.
We strive to provide the facts on the digital phone switchover, so you can make decisions with confidence.
We have a strong track record in enabling specialist housing providers to deliver safer, thriving communities through digital telecare, keeping their residents safe and secure:
- Over 2.5 million digital calls managed by our Careline team.
- 100+ housing providers trust Appello with their move to digital telecare.
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c400k vulnerable people connected to our Careline Services.
Talk to us to find out how we can help you with a pain-free transition to digital telecare.
