Openreach have announced [16 May 2024] that they are postponing the deadline for completion of the digital switchover to 31st January 2027. We welcome the announcement as we estimate that many vulnerable telecare users are still not migrated to digital telecare services and, with just 18 months remaining until the end of 2025, the limited resources across the sector made the deadline unachievable.
It is critical, however, to highlight the switchover programme is not pausing or slowing. It commenced in 2018, and to date an estimated third of phone lines have already switched and the majority of exchanges have been digitally upgraded. This means a large proportion of the UK telecoms infrastructure is already digital. The extension provides additional time for a completion of the project which is planned to continue at the same pace.
Furthermore, the TSA has communicated that they expect other communication providers in the UK, including Virgin and O2, are continuing to work towards their 2025 upgrade deadline.
What this means for telecare services
This is a postponement of the analogue phone network switch off deadline, and not a cancellation of the switch. The switch to digital is ongoing and is not slowing down, as a result First Time Call Failure (FTCF) rates of analogue equipment over the digital network, are still increasing monthly and will continue to get worse as the network transition continues.
As a result, the message from the TSA following this announcement is very clear, Continued Urgency in Migration Efforts.
“Despite the extension of the digital switchover deadline, we emphasise the importance of maintaining momentum in migration efforts. This new timeline should not be perceived as a pause but as a strategic extension to ensure that the migration process is comprehensive and minimally disruptive. The extension provides a realistic framework for completing the migration tasks, reflecting the complexities involved in such a vast national transition.
As the deadline for the digital switchover extends, the TSA urges all stakeholders in the TEC sector not to become complacent but to use this time to enhance their preparations and ensure a smooth transition. By doing so, they can safeguard the functionality and reliability of TEC services, ultimately protecting those who depend on them most.”
Additional Transitional Products
The announcement has indicated that BT plan to launch their Pre-Digital Phone Line (PDPL) in 2024 to support certain customers, with problematic analogue cases during the migration period. They highlight ‘this is a temporary solution rather than a long-term alternative to digital’ with a lifespan until 2030 at the latest.
We recommend this is taken with caution given there are a very wide range of telecare devices and set-ups and therefore we believe there may be challenges with compatibility.
Closing thoughts
Appello have had concerns about the capacity of the industry to support the transition to digital for the most vulnerable customers for some time. Our recent report with the HousingLIN highlighted an increased awareness of the digital switchover and more projects to move to digital telecare in 2024, however we know the ability for everyone to meet the deadline was seemingly unachievable with just 18 months remaining until the end of 2025, given industry capacity.
Therefore, if housing and care providers continue their digital transition at pace, we welcome the announcement to give everyone more time before the final deadline to migrate, minimising the number of vulnerable people left without functioning telecare services.
We still feel the best way for housing and care providers to future proof themselves and provide the best and safest service to end users, is start a program of replacing legacy equipment with fully end to end digital telecare services.
If you would like to discuss this announcement with our team, or would like any expert advice on the move to digital telecare please contact business@appello.co.uk