The digital phone switchover is a nationwide move from analogue to digital phone lines.
This will impact you if you use phone lines, monitored alarm systems and other equipment that connects to the public telephone network as part of your care service.
Stakeholders have been working together for several years to mitigate telecare risks associated with the digital phone switchover. This is the replacement of analogue telecommunication infrastructure with voice over internet protocol (VoIP) technology, which carries voice calls as data using internet protocols (IPs) and technology over a broadband connection.
Originally planned for completion by the end of December 2025, this digital upgrade is broadly expected to be fully completed by the end of January 2027.
This will impact care providers if you use phone lines, monitored alarm systems and other equipment that connects to the public telephone network as part of your service. You may need to upgrade or replace your systems to ensure they work with digital phone lines.
Digital Care Hub is working with Digitising Social Care to provide advice and information to care providers on how to prepare for the switchover.
Webinars
View a recording of our recent webinar on the switchover. Find out about future webinars on our Events page.
Guidance
Visit the Digitising Social Care website for guidance on preparing for the switchover.
Government plans
Telecare National Action Plan: protecting telecare users through the digital phone switchover
UK transition from analogue to digital landlines: What the retirement of analogue phone lines, also known as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), means.
