Telecare alarms and the UK phone line switch-off: what to check
The UK's analogue phone network is due to close on 31 January 2027, so telecare and social alarm units that still dial out over a copper line need to move to another route. The new routes depend on mains power, broadband or a mobile network, and this guide sets out what to check.
What is changing in the UK
- The date. Openreach says the old phone network (the PSTN) will close on 31 January 2027, and that its new broadband-retention measures do not extend or alter that deadline [12].
- Lines still to move. On 24 September 2026 Openreach estimated around 1.2 million lines remained (about 350,000 business premises) and said a small number could be left after the deadline [12].
- The last resort. From 31 January 2027, lines that have not moved may be transferred to a limited emergency voice-only service, EVAc. Openreach calls it temporary and limited, and says it cannot be ordered in advance [12]. Its customer pages add that it offers only basic call features and that an unmoved service may be lost altogether [13].
Openreach's Prove Telecare service sends an engineer to test the telecare device on the new digital line before the customer is moved. By September 2026 it reported more than 70,000 telecare customers upgraded this way [12].
What changes for an alarm unit
A telecare or social alarm unit has to reach its monitoring centre, the alarm receiving centre (ARC), by some route, and the switch-off changes that route. The Government's Telecare National Action Plan (February 2025) applies to England only but notes that the switchover affects all the devolved nations [11].
| How the unit connects today | What changes | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Analogue unit on a copper line | The line becomes a digital voice service, which usually connects through the broadband router [13]. The plan says a digital line may corrupt the alarm's signalling and relies on mains power being available [11]. | Test the actual unit on the actual line. Check the router's battery back-up. |
| Analogue unit behind an adaptor, converter or BT pre-digital phone line | Interim solutions: the plan says reliability varies and each installation needs risk assessment, testing and monitoring [11]. BT Wholesale says its pre-digital line is for single-line voice-only lines, not lines with broadband, and that testing is crucial [18]. | Treat as stop-gaps. Put the units on a replacement list. |
| Digital unit over broadband | Depends on the router and on mains power. BT says its Smart hub must have power for Digital Voice calls [17]. | Check the unit's internal battery and the router's battery back-up (see power cuts, below) [11]. |
| Digital unit with a mobile (SIM) connection | The line switch-off does not affect the mobile route, but mobile network changes can (below). | Check the radio in the data sheet and the networks the SIM can use. |
What the Government plan expects
The plan's first outcome: no telecare user is migrated to digital landline services until the communication provider, the customer or the telecare service provider has confirmed a compatible, working telecare solution is in place [11]. For those who run or commission telecare, the plan and the Local Government Association guidance it cites point to these steps:
- share telecare user data with communications providers, so telecare users can be identified and extra safeguards put in place [11];
- audit the devices and services that rely on the analogue network, as the Local Government Association guidance encourages [11];
- stop buying analogue telecare devices, and phase out the redeployment of analogue alarm devices already in use by telecare service providers [11].
The plan said a deadline for phasing out analogue devices would follow in the coming months. We have not checked whether one has been set, so ask DHSC or TSA. Landline providers have also committed to engineers who test telecare alarms during the switchover and to a free battery back-up device for vulnerable customers [14].
Why a multi-network SIM can help a mobile-connected unit
If a unit uses a mobile connection, as its main route or as a back-up to the line, the alarm depends on mobile coverage at one address. Two operators can give very different signal in the same building, and a SIM tied to one network cannot switch if that operator has a weak spot, an outage or a retirement plan.
- 2G and 3G are not expected beyond 2033. All UK mobile providers have confirmed to the Government that they do not plan to offer 2G and 3G beyond 2033 [19]. The plan says all 2G and 3G devices will need upgrading to at least 4G by then, including some telecare devices, and warns against replacing landline-dependent telecare with 2G or 3G equipment that has a limited lifespan [11].
- One operator's dates. Virgin Media O2 says it completed its 3G switch-off in late 2025 and will start switching off 2G in summer 2029. It says anyone relying on the network, including organisations connecting IoT devices, will need to act before then [21].
- Roaming can be withdrawn. The plan says some telecare devices connect through international or roaming SIMs and may be affected by Virgin Media O2 withdrawing 2G roaming [11]. Virgin Media O2 said it would withdraw inbound roaming (other operators' SIMs roaming onto its network) for 2G from 1 October 2025 and for 3G by 31 December 2025, and advised identifying devices that can only attach to its 2G network [20]. Those dates have passed and we have not checked that it went ahead as announced, so ask your SIM supplier.
- Power cuts. The plan says a telecare alarm will not operate in a power cut if it has no internal battery, if the battery runs out, or if it is on a digital line through a router with no battery back-up. Many digital telecare alarms have an in-built roaming SIM and so connect to a mobile mast, but only some masts have any power resilience [11].
A second network helps only if the unit's radio can use it, and it cannot create signal where there is none. Check signal on site, with the unit and its antenna in their final position. For weak signal, see weak or no network; for SIM faults, SIM not connecting.
What SimFalcon states about its telecare SIMs
SimFalcon describes managed multi-network IoT SIM connectivity for telecare units, monitored alarms, GSM diallers, emergency call devices and lift emergency phones, with voice, SMS and data options depending on device requirements, and local number options for suitable use cases [22]. It says a multi-network IoT SIM can provide better resilience than a single-network SIM because it is not dependent on only one mobile network [22], and that there is no normal pay-as-you-go top-up routine on standard managed services [23].
SimFalcon says it supports SIM activation, connectivity and APN guidance, while device installation, wiring, programming and equipment faults remain with the installer or equipment supplier unless agreed separately [23]. Its own page adds a caveat: final suitability depends on the device, installation, antenna position, local coverage, configuration and testing [22]. None of that makes an alarm meet a standard, gives a device a radio it lacks, or settles whether your ARC accepts its signal. See telecare alarm connectivity, pricing or contact SimFalcon.
Checklist for housing providers, telecare teams and installers
- List every unit by scheme or address, with the model and how it reaches the ARC: copper line, broadband, mobile or a mix. Mark analogue-only units [11].
- For units on a digital line, test the exact unit on the exact router or adaptor, and repeat after any change. The plan notes that Openreach and BT run test labs [11].
- For units on mobile, read the radio in the data sheet. Put 2G and 3G only units on the replacement list, and avoid buying new ones [11].
- Ask your SIM supplier which networks and radio types the SIM can use today, and whether any depend on roaming that a network has said it will withdraw [20].
- Test the whole alarm path: trigger the alarm, confirm the ARC receives it, and record the date and result.
- Check power: the unit's own battery, the router's back-up, and what happens when mains fails [11][17].
- Plan lead times. TSA lists sector averages of up to three months to install a digital scheme solution and six to eight months from tender release to go-live [15].
- When specifying new equipment, a supplier-written guide in TSA member news suggests asking suppliers to show that every part of the system is digital and which standards they use. It describes BS 8521-2 as the British Standard for social alarm systems in group living schemes and EN 50134 as a European Standard for dispersed alarms [16].
Sources
- [11] Telecare National Action Plan (11 February 2025), Department of Health and Social Care and Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (GOV.UK). Checked 3 October 2026.
- [12] PSTN closure announcement (24 September 2026), Openreach. Checked 3 October 2026.
- [13] Upgrading your home phone to digital, Openreach. Checked 3 October 2026.
- [14] Telecare users urged to speak to telecoms providers (2 June 2025), GOV.UK (DSIT and DHSC). Checked 3 October 2026.
- [15] Analogue to Digital Countdown: Why You Must Act Now, TSA (Technology Enabled Care Services Association). Checked 3 October 2026.
- [16] Essential Guide to Future-Proof Telecare (23 May 2025), TSA member news (written by a telecare supplier). Checked 3 October 2026.
- [17] Digital Voice: Will my service work in a power cut?, BT. Checked 3 October 2026.
- [18] Pre-digital Phone Line (PDPL), BT Wholesale. Checked 3 October 2026.
- [19] 2G and 3G switch off, Mobile UK. Checked 3 October 2026.
- [20] 2G and 3G inbound roaming changes (11 August 2025), Virgin Media O2. Checked 3 October 2026.
- [21] 2G switch-off from summer 2029 (23 June 2026), Virgin Media O2. Checked 3 October 2026.
- [22] Telecare SIMs & Alarm Connectivity, SimFalcon. Checked 3 October 2026.
- [23] SimFalcon home page, SimFalcon. Checked 3 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
When does the UK phone line switch-off happen?
Openreach says the PSTN will close on 31 January 2027. Lines that have not moved may be transferred to a limited emergency voice-only service, EVAc, which Openreach describes as temporary and limited.
Will an analogue telecare alarm still work on a digital line?
It may, but it is not guaranteed. The Government's plan says a digital line may corrupt an analogue alarm's signalling, and that the interim solutions it describes need testing and monitoring of each installation. Ask your provider and the monitoring centre to test the actual unit.
Does a SIM replace the landline for a telecare unit?
Only if the unit is built to use a mobile connection and the monitoring centre accepts the signal. A SIM cannot add a radio to a device that lacks one, so check the data sheet and ask the manufacturer.
Why consider a multi-network SIM in a telecare unit?
A single-network SIM depends on one operator's coverage at the address and one operator's plans. SimFalcon says a multi-network IoT SIM can provide better resilience than a single-network SIM, but no SIM can create signal where there is none, so test on site.
What happens to a digital telecare alarm in a power cut?
The Government's plan says a telecare alarm will not operate in a power cut if it has no internal battery, if the battery runs out, or if it is on a digital line through a router with no battery back-up. Many digital telecare alarms have an in-built roaming SIM and connect to a mobile mast in a mains power cut, but only some masts have any power resilience.
Questions about connectivity for your equipment? Talk to SimFalcon or ask Engineer Support.