Openreach will launch its new telecare migration service across the UK this October, following the success of its Prove Telecare Pilot, helping ensure that service providers can safely migrate vulnerable customers who rely on telecare devices to a new digital phone services operating over fibre and off the UK’s ageing copper phone network or PSTN.
During the pilot, Openreach engineers successfully migrated more than a thousand customers using fixed-line telecare devices, such as health-related alarms – to new digital or IP voice services (VoIP).
All customers were safely upgraded with no disruption to their telecare services.
The new Prove Telecare service will be available nationwide, supported by more than 4,000 specially trained Openreach engineers – to help fulfil the volume of vulnerable customer migrations.
These engineers will work directly with alarm receiving centres to confirm households using telecare devices, and only complete migrations when devices are compatible.
If any equipment is found to be incompatible, the engineer will move the phone and telecare device back to the original copper service, ensuring continuous protection for customers.
Openreach then informs the customer’s service provider and the telecare provider so that that they can arrange for a replacement device to be installed, before a follow-up visit.
James Lilley, Openreach’s Managed Customer Migrations Manager (pictured) said: “The pilot has clearly shown that vulnerable customers with telecare devices can be safely migrated to fibre, removing a major barrier to the UK’s transition away from the PSTN.
“Our priority was always to make sure the switch to fibre broadband didn’t leave anyone behind, and the transition was seamless for telecare customers. We’ve achieved our mission with the Prove Telecare service that will accelerate the transition.”