Event roundup - the Digital Landline Switchover and Housing and Care Homes
On April 24th, techUK hosted a webinar aimed at helping supported and older people’s housing and care home providers prepare for the digital landline switchover currently underway across the UK which will see the old analogue phone network (the PSTN) switched off and landline phone services offered on digital landlines.
You can catch up with the recording and slides from the event as well as guidance literature, or read our summary below.
Digital Landline Switchover and Housing and Care Homes Slides.zip 1
David Christie from Virgin Media O2 opened with a presentation that highlighted that the move to IP was driven by the technology now being outdated and the program presents opportunities to diversify and modernize. The key changes will see power resilience required at a premise level in the event of a power outage and data compatibility needed for third party services (these might include lifeline alarms, intruder alarms, telecare devices and lift alarms).
The recent Government Charters are designed to enhance safeguarding the move to digital landlines for the more vulnerable and Communications Providers have currently paused all non voluntary migration.
BT Consumer’s Vicky Hicks talked through a trial that BT will be running later this year which will aim to move at scale scheme housing residents off of the PSTN. The trial is forecast to take place in October under 3 pillars – data sharing (identification of customers within supported housing and understand what products are being used); resident support and finally coordination of migrations across industry.
Gillis Holgersson from DSIT set out the role of Government in the program and the risks currently being monitored (including power outages and resilience, vulnerable customers, telecare and remote health monitoring and consumer awareness).
Rural Housing Group for Shropshire and Herefordshire Connexus talked through their approach to the program which started with speaking with suppliers and looking to understand the needs of people living within the different schemes. Affordability and the need to be cost effective is absolutely key.
Finally Mark Williams from the LGA shared resources available from the LGA’s Digital Switchover toolkit – including communications, scams guidance and a business case resource as well as a Telecare checklist. More information on the toolkit is available at their Digital Switchover hub here.
techUK has worked with Communications Providers and network operators to produce guidance for Local Authorities and Consumers which are available with company logos as well as non branded.
For more information please contact Sarah Shepherd at [email protected].
