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The UK telecoms regulator has responded to recent concerns that BT’s switch to broadband-based Digital Phones may have left some vulnerable customers without access to a working service. Ofcom warns that they could potentially “step in” and investigate the operator (such things sometimes lead to a significant fine), but it’s not yet clear if they will.
At present a big chunk of the UK fixed line telecoms industry, particularly larger players with significant legacy bases of landline-only users like BT and Virgin Media, are currently having to deal with the challenge of migrating old analogue based landline phone services to newer Internet Protocol (IP / VoIP) based digital phone services. This is a complicated process and one that does sometimes run into problems.
For example, we recently reported on a situation where a customer found the battery back-up that BT supplied for their Digital Voice service didn’t always function during power cuts (here). The Telegraph (paywall) has also reported on a few cases where pensioners and vulnerable residents in rural communities were left without connectivity over Christmas for various different reasons.
However, the government and Ofcom have set out clear guidance and rules for the best process to follow when switching to digital phone services, which is particularly tough on the need to identify and protect vulnerable users from harm (e.g. those with telecare devices).
“If we see evidence of widespread issues, we’ve shown we’ll step in. Earlier in December, we fined Virgin Media £23.8m for putting vulnerable customers at risk of harm during its programme to migrate customers to digital landlines,” said Ofcom while referencing the recent fine (here). But Virgin Media’s case was, arguably, a bit more problematic than those highlighted today and had even been linked to some deaths (we’ll come back to this).
A BT spokesperson said:
“We’ve reviewed the customer cases shared with us. Our investigation indicates delays in Mr Farrah’s and Mr Barker’s switchovers were linked to number transfer and setup issues, some involving other suppliers. We’re working with both customers to resolve these issues. Mr Goodhart’s enquiry relates to a business phone line service provided by a third party.
We continue to encourage our customers experiencing issues to contact us directly so we can review their setup and provide the best solution for their needs. For customers with additional needs, we offer free battery back-up units, hybrid phones and in-home assistance. We’re also investing in improving mobile network resilience in rural areas.
Anyone with questions or concerns about the switchover should contact their landline provider, who can make sure they have the right solutions in place.”
The newspaper article doesn’t provide enough detail on the cause of the latest faults to be able to assess whether they’re something Ofcom would actually be worried about. But it’s worth pointing out that switching between providers and setting up new phone lines, whether via digital or older analogue methods, has never been a completely perfect process.
Technical issues have always emerged that sometimes cause short-term connectivity problems for a minority of users, not only with BT (all providers have experience unexpected problems). The question is often whether those faults could have reasonably been avoided or not, which can be hard to judge without more detail.
Ofcom does recognise that sometimes problems do happen that could not be avoided or foreseen beforehand. But it’s a very fine line and the recent move to hit Virgin Media with a hefty fine revealed how they have a low tolerance for mistakes where vulnerable consumers are concerned (that’s a good thing), particularly those with telecare devices.
In particular, the regulator is likely to take a dim view of providers that fail to correctly identify vulnerable users with telecare systems, or if a provider disconnects such users simply for not engaging in the migration process (such users might not have been able to engage, due to disability). This is why network providers now have to be VERY careful about cutting customers off from a vital service during major network migrations.
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