The digital switchover – information for providers
In 2016, it was announced that the telecommunications industry would upgrade to digital internet based infrastructure by 2025.
Switching to digital has potential impacts for people who use telecare services (monitored alarm systems at home) as traditional devices that connect to the public telephone network such as telephone handsets and telecare units will need to be unplugged from the analogue line and reconnected to the new digital line. Some devices may need to be upgraded or replaced to ensure they work reliably on the digital line.
What is being done to support the transition?
Our colleagues in the NHS are working to support telecare service providers, telecare suppliers and the telecommunications sector in ensuring that the people who use telecare services are at the centre of the switchover plans.
They have commissioned some research to understand how aware the telecare sector is of the switchover, and the associated opportunities and challenges. There is now also a published Stakeholder Action Plan which sets out work underway.
What happens now?
There are some key questions to ask yourself if you use or provide a telecare service:
- If the care service you provide includes provision for people to access telecare alarm devices, have you discussed the switchover with your service provider or equipment supplier?
- Does your telephone provider know you have service users using telecare devices linked to their telephones? Issues like these are also discussed in the Stakeholder Action Plan.
The transition to digital will lay the foundations for a next generation of telecare services that will support more personalised and early preventive interventions. However, telecare is still mainly provided through analogue equipment and the Stakeholder Action Plan seeks to encourage the telecare and telecommunications sectors to work together to mitigate risks and encourage understanding of the switchover.
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