Two died after UK shift from analogue to digital phone lines

The telecommunications industry’s transition from an analogue to a digital telephone system was partially paused after two Virgin Media O2 customers died following the failure of their telecare devices after the upgrade process. The incidents in 2023 triggered the government’s announcement in December that it had secured industry commitments to protect vulnerable customers. The revelation of the deaths follows warnings from local government and campaigners about the risks posed by the industry-led switch-over, which affects landlines and devices such as personal alarms. The telecare users died approximately six to eight, and four to six days, respectively, after the failure of the devices in June and November 2023, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said.