Why this matters
Some devices dial out over an analogue phone line. When that line moves to digital, those devices may need a different setup. Examples include burglar and fire alarms that dial out over the phone line, telecare and health devices (personal alarms, pendants, health monitors), older card machines, lift emergency phones, fax and franking machines, and door entry systems.
What to do
Before you switch:
- Check with the company that supplies or monitors the device whether it works over a digital line.
- Tell us about the device when you order or when you contact us about switching. If it is telecare or an alarm on the line, we pause the switch until a member of staff has spoken with you and we are satisfied a safe solution is in place.
- If you use telecare or rely on your landline for 999, tell us — we will talk through battery back-up and other options.
Our process
When you switch with us, we ask what your line is used for today, including alarms and telecare. If you have telecare or an alarm on the line, we pause the switch. A member of staff will speak with you to understand the impact before anything goes ahead. We will not complete the switch until we are satisfied a safe solution is in place for you. We then recommend the right digital phone setup, arrange free number porting if you want to keep your number, and agree a switch date with you.