It’s the end of an era as the traditional analogue phone network is being retired and all phone services are being upgraded to a digital system.
What does this mean?
It means that instead of your phone plugging in to the analogue landline, it will now be connected to your WiFi hub by an adaptor.
If you, or a loved one, don’t have broadband at home, whichever company you have your landline phone contract with should be in touch to help upgrade you onto the new network. If they haven’t, or you’re unsure if this applies to you, it’s best to speak to them for help and advice.
The super important bit: do you have any equipment connected to your phoneline?
This could be a:
- Personal or pendant alarm
- Fall detector or telecare equipment
- Medical alarm
- Monitored security or burglar alarm
Essentially any equipment you have that is connected to your phoneline.
It is absolutely critical to check that these will still work once your phone is switched to the digital service. Just because your phone works with a digital service does not mean that other equipment connected to your phone will. You must contact whoever provides the equipment BEFORE changing over to make sure that they will still work afterwards.
The Government website states that ‘the upgrade is expected to be complete by January 2027’, so now is the time to start checking your equipment will still work (if you haven’t already begun).
Phone usage during power cuts
Questions to ask yourself:
- Will my phone work during a power cut?
- Is a battery backup available if I need one?
- How can I make an emergency call if my phone or broadband isn’t working?
The transition from the traditional phone network to digital means that you will be unable to use a landline phone if the power cuts out. This is because digital phone services usually need electricity to work. If you rely on your home phone, it’s worth getting in touch with your phoneline provider as they may be able to provide you with a battery backup that can usually last up to an hour.
It may be worth getting a mobile phone as a backup. If a smartphone isn’t appropriate, there are simple mobile phones available that are usually designed solely to make and receive calls.
Looking to purchase a new phone?
Our range of telephones, including big button phones and cordless phones, are all compatible for use with the digital system.
You can find our full range here.