The UK’s largest telecoms providers have agreed to pause their digital landline switchover for vulnerable customers following “serious incidents” where some personal alarms stopped working after the upgrade.

Phone providers have been upgrading household landlines to digital technology which uses an internet connection to deliver a new modern network.

The personal alarms - known as telecare - which were impacted by the switchover, offer remote support to elderly, disabled, and vulnerable people, with many users located in rural and isolated areas.

Technology secretary Michelle Donelan described recent issues with the telecare devices following the upgrade as "unacceptable".

BT, Virgin Media O2, Sky, TalkTalk, Vodafone, Shell Energy, and KCOM have now signed a Charter committing to “concrete measures” in order to protect vulnerable households, particularly those using telecare.

Under the Charter, all providers have agreed to not forcibly move customers onto the new network unless they are fully confident they will be protected.

“It is absolutely right that the most vulnerable people in our society should feel safe, secure and have complete confidence in the services provided to them,” said Donelan. “That’s why I have brought our biggest network providers and industry regulator to the table, agreeing a cast iron set of principles to reassure people and put their minds at ease.”

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said that other pledges from the companies include carrying out additional checks on customers who have already been forcibly migrated to ensure they do not have telecare devices the provider was unaware of, and if they do, to ensure suitable support is provided.

Additionally, no telecare users will be migrated to digital landline services without the provider, customer, or telecare company confirming they have a compatible and functioning telecare solution in place.

Telecoms firms will also need to provide back-up solutions that go beyond regulator Ofcom’s minimum of one hour of continued, uninterrupted access to emergency services in the event of a power outage.

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