News

The picture of how a second term for President-elect Donald Trump will impact telecommunications is becoming clearer. With the nomination of Brendan Carr as chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), a change of course at the FCC has been signaled.

Plus, don’t miss the latest merger and acquisition updates from North America, including Charter’s deal to acquire Liberty Broadband.

1. Trump picks Carr to serve as next FCC chair
   President-elect Donald Trump has picked Brendan Carr to serve as the next chair of the Federal Communications Commission.
2. BEAD director plans to stay in role through White House transition
   Evan Feinman, the director of the BEAD program, reportedly has no plans to leave his post following Donald Trump’s victory.
3. Connected Nation reports BEAD money ‘will come soon’
   No ISPs have yet been awarded federal BEAD program funds for expansion projects. One expert expects that to change soon.
4. Majority of Frontier stockholders approve of acquisition by Verizon
   Over 60 percent of Frontier Communications stockholders have approved a merger agreement proposal with Verizon.
5. Charter announces deal to acquire Liberty Broadband
   Charter Communications has announced an all-stock transaction has been agreed to for the purpose of acquiring Liberty Broadband.

For more of the USA’s biggest broadband stories, visit Total Telecom’s sister site, Broadband Communities

Also in the news:
VMO2 launches UK’s first 5G standalone small cells in Birmingham
BT says Labour’s budget will cost company £100m
Vodafone Spain and Telefonica complete FibreCo deal 

Mobile operator O2 (Virgin Media) has today announced that they’ve completed a project to improve their 4G and 5G based mobile (mobile broadband) network in the West Midlands city of Wolverhampton, which since the start of 2024 has seen network capacity upgraded in 850 postcodes across the area.

The capacity boost should ensure that local residents, visitors and business can all benefit from having access to faster and more reliable mobile services when connected via O2’s mobile network in the city. The work forms part of O2’s ongoing effort to invest £2m a day into their mobile network, which enables them to deploy new technologies and keep up with increasing customer demand. All mobile operators have to conduct similar work.

Steven Verigotta, Director of Mobile Delivery at VMO2, said: “With customers using more data than ever before, the improvements we’ve made at 850 postcodes in Wolverhampton will ensure local people and businesses can access reliable connectivity that is so essential in the modern world. We are continuing to invest in our network with future upgrades planned to ensure that we can continue to support our customers both now and in future.”

A new YouGov survey conducted by network operator AllPoints Fibre, which is the UK wholesale division of Fern Trading’s recently consolidate alternative FTTP broadband ISP networks (Giganet, Jurassic Fibre, and Swish Fibre), claims to have found that the “vast majority of people” (72%) think it’s “misleading” to advertise part-copper broadband (e.g. FTTC) as ‘fibre’.

In the past it was common for ISPs to use “fibre” terminology to describe a wide range of internet connection technologies, including hybrid or part-fibre solutions that could involve either some copper wiring (e.g. FTTC) or even wireless connectivity over the final drop into homes. Such technologies can be significantly slower and less reliable than modern full fibre (FTTP) services, which take an optical fibre cable all the way to your home.

However, after many years of campaigning, Ofcom recently introduced new rules (here) that will only allow broadband ISPs to use terms like “fibre” and “full-fibre” on their websites, and in contracts, if their network brings the fibre optic cables all the way to your home (i.e. FTTP, FTTH and there’s also an allowance for FTTB). But the regulator’s change did not extend to advertising, which is an issue that we’ve already covered in detail (here).

The latest online survey from APFN and YouGov, which interviewed 2,000 UK adults during early November 2024, keys into the above issue by finding a “high level of consumer understanding” (70%) that full-fibre connections are generally faster and more reliable than part-copper connections. However, 77% of those questioned were unaware that it is currently legal to advertise part-copper broadband as ‘fibre’, while 72% agreed it is misleading for companies to do this.

In response, APFN has written a new Open Letter to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which calls on them to “take immediate action” over this issue, while at the same time highlighting how other countries in Europe have already addressed similar concerns (e.g. France, Ireland and Italy took action many years ago).

Copy of APFN’s Open Letter to the ASA

Dear Mr Parker [ASA CEO],

I am writing concerning the Advertising Standards Authority’s stance on the advertising of ‘fibre’ broadband.

You will be aware, following an ASA ruling in November 2017, that it remains permissible to advertise broadband connections that are part-copper (also called Fibre to the Cabinet or FTTC) as ‘fibre’. No doubt you will also be aware that full-fibre connections (so called Fibre to the Premises or FTTP) are faster and more reliable, and as such provide a better experience to the end consumer.

This matter has been a major source of concern to the broadband industry for some years, which has been investing billions of private sector capital into this new infrastructure. Ofcom recently updated its guidance in this area, mandating that broadband companies give customers clarity on this question on their websites and in their contractual information before they sign up to receive a service. The research underpinning their decision found that only 46% of customers who reported being on full fibre were living in areas where it is available and not all of them would have been on a full-fibre connection.

Today I am writing this open letter to you to share the results of new research that AllPoints Fibre has conducted online with our polling partner YouGov. The research found the following:

• 70% of British adults are aware that broadband using only fibre optic cables is generally faster and more reliable than broadband delivered partly or wholly on copper cables

• 77% of Brits are not aware that it is currently legal to advertise broadband connections that are part copper as ‘fibre’

• 72% of Brits agree that it is misleading that companies can advertise part-copper broadband as ‘fibre’

• Armed with the knowledge that fully fibre-optic connections are faster and more reliable, 68% of Brits are likely to buy these connections in the future.

As you can see, the vast majority of those questioned believe that the advertising practice your organisation is allowing is misleading. The ASA’s decision from November 2017, when full fibre broadband was available to less than a million premises (or around 3% of the UK), needs to be revisited urgently. Full fibre is now available to over 23 million premises (or over 70% of UK premises). Our research finds that the buying behaviour of customers changes once they understand the difference between part-copper and full fibre broadband, directly contradicting the research that underpinned the ASA’s decision in November 2017.

You will no doubt be aware that there are examples of other regulators from across Europe taking much more prompt action to tackle this practice. France issued new rules in 2016 limiting references to fibre in advertising to full fibre only. In 2019, the Irish ASA issued guidance banning the use of the word ‘fibre’ on its own to describe part-fibre networks. Italy requires broadband companies to follow a traffic light system when advertising broadband. Each advert must carry a prominent green dot for fibre, an amber one for part-copper, and a red one for copper.

The rollout of full fibre and the underpinning evidence has moved on so significantly since 2017 that I am now writing to ask that the Advertising Standards Authority updates its stance in this area. Billions of pounds have been invested in this critical area of the UK economy, only for consumers to be widely mislead about the technology that they are buying. This is negatively affecting the take-up of a technology that will underpin the UK’s future economic growth and power the UK’s public services. I am sure you will agree that, in other industry sectors, this situation would be seen as intolerable.

In a public statement in September 2024, your organisation said that it was keeping a ‘watching brief’ on this issue. Given that fully seven years have now passed since your original decision, we believe the time for consideration is now over. We urge you to take action on this vital issue.

Yours sincerely,

Jarlath Finnegan [APFN Group Chief Executive]

A spokesperson for the ASA previously told ISPreview that Ofcom’s review “never tested for ‘misleadingness’” and reiterated that they were “keeping a watching brief on if/how the guidance impacts on advertising claims,” although as yet there have been no changes in their approach.

Back in 2018 the ASA claimed, based on its own consumer surveys, that “fibre” wasn’t a priority identified by consumers when choosing a package; that consumers did not notice “fibre” claims in ads and that they saw it as a shorthand buzzword to describe modern fast broadband. Respondents told the ASA that they did not believe they would change their previous decisions, even after the differences between those and broadband services that use fibre optic cables all the way to the home were explained to them. But APFN’s survey appears to contradict this.

The reality today is that copper-based broadband connections are rapidly on their way out, with many ISPs now prioritising FTTP based packages in their promotions. Suffice to say that the best time to update the advertising guidance has long since passed and any positive impact today may be much more limited. But perhaps the old phrase, better late than never, may still have some play.

The Pembrokeshire County Council (Cyngor Sir Penfro) in Wales has celebrated the news that 60% of local premises can now access gigabit-speed full fibre (FTTP) broadband (up from just 5% in 2019). But this is still well behind the UK’s current level of gigabit coverage, which stands at over 85%, due largely to the remote rural nature of the county.

This achievement is said to be the “culmination of a concerted effort by various stakeholders“, including Alternative Networks (AltNets) like Ogi, Voneus and Dragon Wifi, as well as Openreach (BT) and the local authority’s dedicated Digital Champions, who have “continuously engaged with communities to ensure they are aware of the benefits of being better connected and the ways in which they can make that happen“.

The local fixed line coverage has all been delivered by Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) technology, which is because Virgin Media’s older Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) network was never been extended into Pembrokeshire. Some Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) coverage also exists from providers like Voneus, but this doesn’t count toward the aforementioned figure for gigabit coverage.

Cllr Paul Miller said:

“Thanks to the hard work of all the stakeholders and this local authority’s Digital Champions, we’re thrilled to see Pembrokeshire reach 60 per cent broadband coverage.

This is a testament to their dedication to bridging the digital divide and ensuring all our residents have access to the critical tools they need to succeed in today’s economy. Pembrokeshire County Council is committed to supporting this type of innovative programmes, and I look forward to seeing Pembrokeshire reach even greater levels of connectivity.”

Further connectivity improvements are expected to flow from both the Swansea Bay City Region project and the UK Government’s ongoing £5bn Project Gigabit scheme. The latter of which recently awarded several contracts that will see Openreach extending their FTTP roll-out into rural parts of Wales (here).

At present, the Project Gigabit contracts awarded for Wales don’t yet extend into South West Wales, but we are expecting Openreach to win the ‘Call Off 3’ contract any day now. This is valued at £136.1m (state aid) and could see FTTP being extended to cover 49,600 additional premises across remote rural parts of East and South Shropshire, North Herefordshire, North Wales, and South West Wales.

The UK Government’s Telecoms Minister, Sir Chris Bryant, has today announced that he’s agreed a new ‘Telecare National Action Plan‘ with major UK broadband and phone providers (e.g. BT, Virgin Media, Vodafone and Sky Broadband), which requires them to do more to protect vulnerable telecare users when upgrading phone lines to new digital (IP based) networks.

The vast majority of our readers should, hopefully, already be aware that BT, Openreach, KCOM and Virgin Media are all in the process of withdrawing their old copper-based analogue line networks, which are being replaced by digital (IP / VoIP based) phone solutions. Such services are also used by many other ISPs and their customers.

The shift to digital phones is an industry, not government, led programme that is partly driven by the looming retirement of copper lines in favour of full fibre (FTTP). Not to mention that modern mobile and Internet Protocol (IP)-based communication services have largely taken over from traditional home phones, and it’s also become harder to find parts for the old network.

However, the digital switchover has caused a problem for around 1.8 million UK people who use vital home telecare systems in the UK (e.g. elderly, disabled, and vulnerable people), which often aren’t compatible with the replacement digital phone services. In fairness, this is arguably just as much the fault of telecare and alarm providers (i.e. failing to upgrade their systems), which have been slow to adapt, despite having years of warning.

The digital services also require a battery-backup as, unlike the old copper-based analogue phone network, handsets can’t be remotely powered from the exchange. But such backup systems are normally only required by Ofcom to last for at least 1-hour.

What’s new?

The previous government had already responded to all these concerns by establishing a special charter to help protect vulnerable customers (there’s also a variant of this for wholesale providers), which committed providers to protecting vulnerable users during the migration. But the government’s new Telecare National Action Plan (due to be published before the end of 2024) will go further and is a bit more prescriptive.

During yesterday’s round table meeting at techUK’s London HQ, which was attended by representatives from the sector including BT, Virgin Media, Vodafone and Sky Broadband, the minister agreed with providers that “non-voluntary upgrades would start on a smaller scale before rolling out more widely” (it’s unclear how this differs from what was already happening), reducing accidental loss of phone services for those most likely to come to harm if their telephone line is discontinued.

The new approach also includes a requirement for companies to offer an engineer visit to vulnerable customers, who will personally test the vital alarm and ensure it continues to work once a household has moved on the digital network. Both Virgin Media (here) and Openreach (here) have already been conducting trials of just such an approach.

UK Telecoms Minister, Chris Bryant, said:

“Old fashioned copper wire technology is coming to an end. If we want to stay in touch with the rest of the world we need a complete overhaul of our digital infrastructure.

While this migration is necessary, it is vital the industry gets it right, and makes sure the most vulnerable are protected.

This has kept me up at night and a priority that I have put at the forefront of my work since stepping into office. I am pleased telecoms companies, central government, and local authorities are working in lockstep to achieve customer safety.”

In addition, the minister is said to have “urged companies to extend the power of battery back-up solutions beyond the existing one-hour minimum” (retail side products), although the announcement itself includes no details. But we did recently report that Chris Bryant was pushing providers to deliver battery backup that can last “up to” 8 hours (here), which is far from being an easy or cheap thing to deliver.

However, some of the supporting information for today’s announcement suggests that the Government may instead be pushing for around 4 hours (we’re trying to confirm), which seems more realistic, particularly given that street cabinets with a battery unit may typically last for around 3-4 hours. Some operators, like BT, are preparing to introduce an Advanced Battery Backup Unit (ABBU) any time now (here), although they haven’t provided any specs for this yet.

The Telecoms Minister then laid out the actions that other stakeholders, such as telecare companies, need to take to safeguard telecare users through the digital phone switchover. This includes ensuring that no telecare user will be migrated to digital landline services without the communication provider, the customer, or the telecare service provider confirming that the user has a compatible and functioning telecare solution in place.

The meeting then saw the introduction of a charter with telecoms companies providing services to Critical National Infrastructure (CNI), such as the water and energy industries, whose services may also be affected by the switchover. This includes an escalation mechanism to allow concerns relating to the switchover to be raised with the UK Government, ensuring continued safe provision of these services.

Finally, it’s worth pointing out that BT and Openreach are currently testing an additional (SOTAP for Analogue) phone line product that does NOT require a broadband connection to function, is powered (no need for battery backup) and will be targeted at vulnerable and edge use cases (inc. CNI) users – those with old analogue phone lines who would otherwise “face challenges” in migrating to IP based voice solutions by 2025. The solution, once introduced, would not be available for new service provisions (only existing customers) and is intended to be a temporary product (possibly running until around 2030, when old exchanges will start to be retired).

For more information on the agreements reached yesterday, please visit: 

• Checklist for non-voluntary migrations
• Vulnerable customer definition
• Guidance for local authorities
• Critical National Infrastructure Charter  

News 

The altnet has collapsed under mounting debt pressure 

UK altnet Spring Fibre, has been sold to Harmony Networks for £1.5 million, the company has announced. The sale reflects the challenges smaller broadband providers face in scaling operations and competing with larger players in the UK’s full-fibre rollout. 

Founded in 2019 with the ambition of rolling out gigabit broadband to one million premises across the UK, Spring Fibre initially sought to position itself as a key player in the UK’s fibre race. The company’s rollout officially began in Lincolnshire in 2021, with the company having raised £150 million to fuel its expansion. 

Progress, however, was mired by rapidly growing operational costs and stiff regional competition. To date, Spring Fibre has only succeeded in passing 12,000 UK premises with full fibre.  

The extent of the company’s financial woes only became apparent recently, with a report from the Telegraph confirmed that Spring Fibre was on the brink of collapse, with its debt pile standing at £11 million, and had made a loss of £3.8 million in 2022. 

“While we can confirm we’ve had a significant level of interest, including indicative offers for the business, we don’t today have an offer that provides the necessary liquidity in the time we have available,” said Gareth Greppellini at the time. 

 “Unfortunately, with this in mind, we have taken the difficult decision to file a notice of intention [to appoint administrators],” he added. 

At the time, Greppellini said discussions with potential purchases were still ongoing with the aim of reaching a deal that “maximises value for the business”. 

On Friday, a buyer was finally announced with civil engineering and utility construction contractor Harmony Networks agreeing to buy the altnet for £1.5 million, representing a considerable loss for Spring’s investors. 

The acquisition highlights the challenging economic environment for the UK’s broadband altnets, where smaller players are struggling to maintain financial viability while deploying infrastructure in underserved areas. 

The sale also highlights broader issues within the market, including the sustainability of large expansion plans and the financial pressures faced by new entrants. As competition intensifies, Spring Fibre’s story reflects the difficulties of maintaining momentum in a crowded and capital-heavy industry, and foreshadows the sectors inevitable consolidation.  

Keep up to date with the latest international telecoms news by subscribing to the Total Telecom daily newsletter    

Also in the news:
VMO2 launches UK’s first 5G standalone small cells in Birmingham
BT says Labour’s budget will cost company £100m
Vodafone Spain and Telefonica complete FibreCo deal 

News

The mobile operator says that satellite constellations like SpaceX’s Starlink could pose a major competitive threat to terrestrial telecoms operators

According to a report from Reuters, Reliance Jio has sent a letter to India’s telecoms regulator, asking it to review the potential reach of telecoms satellite constellations like SpaceX’s Starlink and Amazon’s Kuiper before awarding spectrum.

The operator argues that the immense reach of these satellite players will put them in direct competition with wireless operators, hence they should be subject to similar regulations – including attaining spectrum at auction rather than via direct allocation.

Allocating satellite spectrum directly is the norm around the world, but Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel had argued that the spectrum should be auctioned like traditional wireless spectrum because Starlink would be in direct competition with the mobile operators.

Reliance Jio notes that it currently carries 15 billion gigabytes of data a month in India using spectrum for which it paid roughly $23 billion over various auctions. Starlink, by contrast, would have capacity to carry 18 billion gigabytes of data per month, for which it would have paid considerably less.

This, the company claims, would create an unlevel playing field, making the telecoms sector less competitive.

Reliance Jio – and fellow telco giant Bharti Airtel – have been making this argument in various forms for many months, warning that the introduction of Starlink could lead to aggressive price wars in an already challenging operating environment.

Indeed, SpaceX already has a history of such aggressive pricing schemes for its Starlink services, notably in Kenya where Starlink plans are offered for as low as $10 a month. This contrasts with the $120 dollars charged in the US.

Last month, however, Indian communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia confirmed that the government currently has no plans to auction satellite spectrum.

A government source suggested that the official decision was likely to be made before the end of the year.

Starlink has been seeking regulatory approval to begin operations in India since 2022, with the process now close to completion. Earlier this month, reports suggested that the satellite operator was seeking final security clearances to begin operations.

It should be noted that India’s major telcos are not the only opponents of allowing Musk’s Starlink to begin operations in the country. The Kutniti Foundation – an Indian think tank whose stated goal is to help India “develop an arsenal in the fields of Intelligence, Economic Warfare, Psychological Warfare & Soft Power” – recently released a report calling Starlink a “a wolf in sheep’s clothing”, given the company’s strong ties to the US intelligence services and the country’s military.

The issue will only be further complicated if Elon Musk is ultimately given a US government position, as suggested by incoming President Donald Trump.

Keep up to date with the latest international telecoms news by subscribing to the Total Telecom daily newsletter   

Also in the news:
Verizon extends US defence contract in $98m deal
Top 5 stories from Broadband Communities last week
UScellular sells spectrum to AT&T for $1 billion

News 

Carr will succeed current FCC chair Jessica Rosenworcel in January 

President-elect Donald Trump has named Brendan Carr as the next Chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), succeeding Jessica Rosenworcel. 

Republican Commissioner Carr was was appointed to the FCC by then-President Donald Trump in 2017, after serving as the agency’s general counsel since 2012.  

With a background in telecommunications law, Carr’s career has see him be a major advocate for rural broadband expansion, 5G deployment, and deregulating the telecoms industry. He is also a notable opponent of net neutrality, which was reinstated by the FCC earlier this year. 

Big Tech will also likely be in the firing line under a Carr-led FCC. Carr has repeatedly pushed for reforms to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which shields tech companies from liability for user content, whilst simultaneously accusing these platforms of censoring Americans.  

In addition to regulatory reform, Carr also wants tech companies such as Google and Facebook to contribute financially to the Universal Service Fund, which supports broadband development in underserved communities.  

Carr’s overall approach to telecoms regulation can be seen most clearly in the chapter he contributed to Project 25, a policy initiative spearheaded by conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation that provides blueprint for radically reshaping the federal government. In his penned chapter, Carr emphasised that the FCC’s goals should be to: 

– Rein in Big Tech, 

– Promote national security, 

– Unleash economic prosperity, and 

– Ensure FCC accountability and good governance. 

“Commissioner Carr is a warrior for free speech, and has fought against the regulatory lawfare that has stifled Americans’ freedoms, and held back our economy,” said Trump in a statement. 

Carr’s leadership is expected to mark a stark contrast to Rosenworcel’s, emphasising deregulation and market-driven solutions over government intervention.  

Rosenworcel, the FCC’s first female Chair and a Democrat, has led the agency since 2021. Her tenure focused on consumer advocacy and digital equity, prioritising programmes to expand affordable broadband access and close the digital divide. She championed initiatives like the Affordable Connectivity Program and strengthened net neutrality protections. 

Join us at next year’s Connected America, 11-12 March in Dallas. Get Discounted tickets here!  

Also in the news:
VMO2 launches UK’s first 5G standalone small cells in Birmingham
BT says Labour’s budget will cost company £100m
Vodafone Spain and Telefonica complete FibreCo deal

Customers of Sky (Sky TV, Sky Broadband etc.) may like to know that the media giant has today announced an extension of their long-term collaboration with Amazon, which will see ‘Prime Video’ apps and related content continue to be available on Sky devices (e.g. Sky Q, Sky Glass, Sky Stream etc.).

Nick Herm, Sky’s Chief Business Officer, said: “At Sky, we want to provide people with the aggregation platform of choice that brings them with all their favourite apps and channels in one place. We’re delighted to renew our partnership with Prime Video so that Sky customers can continue to enjoy its award-winning content across all of our devices.”

The extension agreement applies to Sky’s outlets in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland.

Broadband ISP Virgin Media (O2) has today released a progress update on their Digital Landline Switchover (DLS) programme (i.e. migrating old analogue landline phones to IP-based services). This revealed some positive results from their recent trial with the telecare advisory body, TSA, which provided enhanced support to telecare users.

Just to recap. The United Kingdom is home to around 1.8 million people who use telecare devices / alarms in the UK (e.g. elderly, disabled, and vulnerable people), many of which are located in rural and isolated areas. Sadly, a lot of those telecare systems haven’t yet been updated to work with the newer Internet Protocol (IP) based voice / phone services, which is despite the telecare industry having plenty of years to prepare.

Virgin Media responded to this in early September by launching a 10-week trial alongside the TSA (here), which among other things saw them working with the Stockport-based telecare provider, Carecall, to offer dedicated support to telecare users as their services are migrated.

The trial itself essentially made it easier to identify telecare customers (i.e. not all such users have informed ISPs of their status), as well as offering targeted communications / support and also provided joint visits with teams from both Virgin Media and Carecall (e.g. checking devices are working as they should and fixing problems etc.). This is said to have been a “phenomenal success“.

Gareth Lister, Director of Customer Products at VMO2, said:

“The trial was a phenomenal success with 90% of customers agreeing to migration appointments, and almost all (96%) being migrated successfully.

Importantly, of the 191 customers identified through the data share, 31 had not previously been identified by Virgin Media O2 as telecare users. This is despite a review of all call records from Carecall’s alarm receiving centre (ARC).

Carecall’s analysis showed that these customers were all using digital SIM-based telecare devices (operating independently from Virgin Media O2’s telephony service) which explains why no ARC call records were detected.

So, without the data sharing agreement, these 31 customers would not have received the extra support wrapper of the trial.

Together, we learnt a lot about how we can best support telecare customers to engage with the essential migration and illustrated what can be achieved in partnership.”

The operator is now “looking to carry out further trials in other parts of the country” and, as part of that, they’ve run a series of workshops with local authorities and telecare alarm providers – attended by around 40 organisations from across the country – “where we’ve shared our learnings and sought views on how this approach could be adapted for them.”

During this process, Virgin Media has also written again to every local authority they operate in, encouraging others to follow in Stockport Homes’ footsteps by establishing similar data-sharing agreements. But the broadband and phone provider warns that “more than a hundred local authorities” have either not yet formed a data agreement or didn’t even respond to their letters.

Suffice to say, Virgin Media has once again reiterated their call for the Government to establish a ‘Telecare Charter‘, which they say must “clearly set out a range of commitments for the telecare sector and local authorities which requires them to work with our industry to ensure nobody is left behind“. On the other hand, while all of this work is good, it’s still something that both the telecare and telecoms industries should have started years ago.

Meanwhile, Openreach is doing something similar to the aforementioned trial via their own Prove Telecare Trial, which started at the end of July 2024. The old phone networks were originally supposed to be completely switched off by the end of 2025, although vulnerable users were recently given more time by BT and Openreach – the deadline for migration in related households has been extended to 31st Jan 2027 (here and here).