Digital Phone Switchover

Several telecare suppliers have developed equipment over the last few months, with many more digital options now being available. As part of our ongoing support with the digital phone switchover we have compiled details on some of the devices that are available.

Although we do not endorse particular devices, all the solutions are supplied by trusted UKTelehealthcare supply members so that telecare service providers can view this material as part of their decision-making processes.

Please use the following link to access the list.

Digital Ready Telecare Devices

For many users of technology enabled care (TEC), the ability to carry out simple activities like video calling, calling for help following a fall or having the reassurance that someone is on the other end of the line, should they need support can be life changing.

As a result, it is the responsibility of all TEC providers to ensure their customers can transition safely from analogue to digital in a timely fashion.

Read the full blog on ‘How to Transition Safely from Analogue to Digital (Do’s and Don’ts) here.

(February 2023)

Openreach had previously intended to cease all remaining “in scope” copper assets (WLR only) within the Salisbury and Mildenhall trial areas in April 2023. By “in scope” we mean assets within the fibre footprint (full fibre for Salisbury, full fibre or a fibre alternative for Mildenhall) who have not had an exemption granted – for example where a key piece of Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) will not work in an All IP environment. Despite ongoing communications from our Communication Providers (CPs) to engage their customers, there are still a number of customers who have not responded.  We are therefore looking at ways to prompt end customers to have a conversation with their CP about next steps.  These include slowing the broadband speed, and/or routing non freephone numbers directly to the CP.  Once CPs engage with their customers in Salisbury and Mildenhall they will either move them to full fibre (in Salisbury) or a fibre alternative (in Mildenhall) or, if vulnerable and they cannot move to an All IP product, apply to us for an exemption (removing them from risk of cessation or service degradation). We are trying to further identify these vulnerable customers, which is why we are reaching out to you.

As per previous conversations it is important that vulnerable customers (users of telecare devices) are not impacted by these changes. We are already working with Salisbury Council to identify these customers and will exempt these lines if not already done so. We understand Mildenhall operate a mobile based solution so these customers are not impacted. However, we are keen to identify “private” users of telecare devices where Openreach and the CP have no knowledge of the device.

In order to identify and exempt these “private” device users, we would be grateful if could you please approach your members and ask them to identify telecare users in the Salisbury and Mildenhall areas (identifiable by having a 01722 or 01638 telephone number dialling code). Clearly we do not need sensitive name and address detail, just the customers telephone number. Openreach would very much like to get this data on affected customers using all-ip-enquiries@openreach.co.uk

Regards

John Livermore

ALL IP Industry Engagement Manager

openreach

Mob: +44 (0) 7889 207939

Teams: +44 (0) 331 626 1200

Web: openreach.co.uk

www.linkedin.com/in/John-Livermore-ALL-IP-openreach

Hi, I’m Phil Cain, TalkTalk’s Industry and Vendor Liaison manager and, amongst other things, I manage the TalkTalk All IP test lab in Irlam, Manchester.

With All IP being very much in the news of late I’m even more keen than ever to have manufacturers and equipment suppliers come into our labs to test any equipment that might be connected to our network, either now or in the future. As we move to All IP communications we want to make sure no one is left vulnerable when their switchover occurs. Some may already have tested on Openreach networks with other suppliers, but just because it works on one doesn’t necessarily mean it will work on others.

If you’re not a manufacturer or supplier but a provider that uses Telecare equipment I would urge you to ask your provider to come and test at TalkTalk. The more testing information we have the better.

Our lab has FTTP and FTTC lines on both Consumer and Business. You can test on our latest WiFi Hub 2 which has a built in ATA, and we also have our Battery Back unit in the lab for testing. Finally we have a working version of a Voice Reinjection kit available too.

To book a date, just email me (phil.cain@talktalkplc.com) and we can compare diaries, or use this link to make a booking. The lab is generally available Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (Monday and Friday by agreement) and we will make sure one of our technical experts is around on the day in case you have any problems / queries.

Please remember that just because it works on one Network doesn’t guarantee it will work on TalkTalk, so please take this opportunity to test your equipment for you and your customers’ peace of mind.

Regards

PHIL

Phil Cain
Industry and Vendor Liaison

Digital Switchover White Paper

“A new White Paper – ‘The Digital Reality’ – from Everon UK, supported by Housing LIN, with contributions from TSA, Openreach, BT Group and Eseye, outlines important changes impacting the digital transition and how to safely transition from analogue to digital in a timely manner.

With the cut off date to the digital switchover drawing closer, the white paper outlines important changes impacting the digital transition. It addresses:

• The What and the Why of the digital switchover
• The Future of Housing
• How digital transformation can transform care
• The £500 million Adult Social Care discharge fund
• The Digital Opportunity for housing and care

Click here to download the White Paper.

What’s happening?

As you may know, the technology that underpins the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) must change, which means the way we deliver our landline service must change too.

The copper-based equipment used today is becoming outdated and is not fit for prolonged future use. Telecoms operators have to take action to upgrade the phone network in order to keep offering landline service. To this end, Virgin Media is changing the way the landline services work; instead of running over the copper technology, it will run over the broadband network.

For the majority of customers, the migration over to “Digital Voice” (sometimes referred to as “IP Voice” or “Fibre Voice”) will have limited impact. However, we are aware some customers will need extra support, particularly those who use telecare devices. We also know that Local Authorities are often involved in the provision of telecare devices.

Virgin Media’s Migration

Virgin Media has a programme in place to decommission the old Telephone Switches (sometimes referred to as Telephone Exchanges) in our network and migrate the customers whose landlines are connected to those switches. This work is happening now and will be ongoing until the end of 2025. We work on multiple Telephone Switches at once and we have dates by which they need to have all the customers migrated away from them. In order to meet those dates, we migrate customers in batches to gradually reduce the number of landlines connected to a switch.

We have attached a list of switches and the target final migration date for residential customers for 2023 and 2024. It is important to note that migrations will be happening before the dates shown on the lists. Get in touch with us to receive a searchable spreadsheet where you can see the postcodes belonging to each switch. Please respond to kerry.smith2@virginmediaO2.co.uk and copy in IPVoice@virginmedia.co.uk.

2023 Virgin Media Switch Order

2024 Virgin Media Switch Order

These dates may change, and we will endeavour to give you information on this as soon as we are able to do so.

Telecare

The very last batch of customers migrated away from a switch is a dedicated telecare batch. This means at any point whilst we’re carrying out migrations on this switch, if we identify a telecare user, we can move them into a dedicated customer group and give them the last possible migration date for that switch. 

The advice we give to telecare users is:

• Connected devices and equipment operating over their landline – such as telehealth alarms – may not be compatible with the new telephone services. Customers are advised to contact their alarm provider to check that their equipment is compatible ‘Digital Voice’ products.
• As the telephone is being delivered over broadband technology instead of copper, it will no longer be independently powered. Therefore, in the event of a power cut or broadband network disruption the landline cannot be used to make or receive calls, and any device or equipment use the phone line to make calls or send signals will not work without its own back-up. Virgin Media providers customers with an Emergency Backup Line that ensure voice calls to emergency services can continue. However, this does not support third-party devices and customers are advised to speak to their device provider to about obtaining a device that a separate, dedicated back-up (such as its own battery and a SIM card).

Our standard migration timeline for customers is three months, but we give customers we know to be telecare users up to six months.

How we identify telecare users

Virgin Media O2 has been working with the telecare industry and Local Authorities to identify telecare users so that we can offer them extra support and longer migration journey. In order to do this, we use Alarm Receiving Centre telephone numbers to which telecare devices make outbound calls. We use this information to identify which customers may have devices in their homes that operate over the phone line. Organisations can share their ARC numbers with us by emailing by responding to kerry.smith2@virginmediaO2.co.uk and copying in IPVoice@virginmedia.co.uk. 

We have also developed a data-sharing agreement that can be used between Virgin Media and Local Authority (or other telecare organisation). This will allow us to understand which of your clients are telecare device users, and for your organisation to understand which of your clients are Virgin Media customers and when they may be impacted by our migrations. If you would like a copy of the agreement, please respond to kerry.smith2@virginmediaO2.co.uk and copy in IPVoice@virginmedia.co.uk.

More information

If you have any queries, we would be happy to discuss them with you. Please email IPVoice@virginmedia.co.uk.

You can also find more information here:

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Virgin-Phone-Switchover/gh-p/Switchover 

Telecare Stakeholder Action Plan is now available on GOV.UK (December 2022)

Following your input through UKTelehealthcare and other stakeholders during 2022 I am pleased to let you know that DHSC/NHS England Joint Unit has now published its Telecare Stakeholder Action Plan which is available on the following link Telecare Stakeholder Action Plan.  In addition to the action plan the related FarrPoint research report is also now available to download. 

UKTelehealthcare are pleased to have had the opportunity to input into this important document on behalf of our members and the wider TEC industry, and will continue to engage and support this work in 2023. 

As part of our continuing work on the Analogue to Digital transition we will be running two virtual events on the 18^th and 25^th January 2023.  More details will be available on the Events page of the UKTelehealthcare website shortly.

For all the latest news on the A2D transition please visit our All IP pages or members can raise questions with other stakeholders via the Members Blog using the All IP category when posting.

Gerry

Mobile:         +44 7826 622 627
Office:           +44 20 8004 9229

Tranche 5 of All IP commences 2^nd August. Are you Ready?

Check if your customers will be affected!

Tranche 5 of the All IP Programme is scheduled for 2nd August, with 67 exchanges moving into the ‘stop-sell’ phase. This will bring the total number of upgraded exchanges to 318 – impacting up to 3.5 million premises across the UK. The number of affected exchanges is beginning to ramp up at its most significant pace yet as we move ever closer to 2025, when all analogue reliant systems will need to switch to a fully digital service. End-users with these legacy systems need to be upgraded and are already placing pressure on Telecare providers to offer a suitable option. CSL is supporting the industry by offering an affordable connectivity solution via our 4G Roaming SIMs, which integrate seamlessly with Telecare devices; keeping vital systems connected. Below you will find a link to the Telecare section of our All IP Hub, where we outline the benefits of going digital with CSL SIMs.

VISIT OUR ALL IP HUB

VIEW ALL EXCHANGES

CSL’s IoT team discuss the future of digital in Telecare

A brief overview of the key points discussed during CSL’s ITEC session As more and more systems move away from analogue technologies and onto digital solutions, there is a mounting necessity for Telecare providers to do the same. CSL’s IoT team chaired a recent session covering this topic and we’ve published the highlights!

DISCOVER MORE

Leading personal alarm provider, Taking.Care, has completed extensive testing of its personal alarms with Openreach

This move comes ahead of the digital telephone network upgrade being rolled out across the UK

Results from testing will help ensure Taking.Care’s elderly and vulnerable customers receive uninterrupted support for vital care services

The UK’s largest private personal alarm brand Taking.Care has become the country’s first telecare provider to complete full testing of its product range before the planned switchover from analogue to digital telephone networks by 2025.

Taking.Care has worked with Openreach to carry out rigorous stress tests of its personal care alarm range, which provides life-saving services for elderly and vulnerable people, to ensure they are compatible with the new all-digital telephone network.

The digital switch brings about major changes to the telecare industry. Traditionally reliant on analogue telephone landlines, the switchover means all new houses are set to be built with a digital-only connection from 2023. And, with change coming, many households have already upgraded, for faster networks and connectivity.

Delivered in a controlled laboratory environment, the alarm testing has been carried out on the UK’s leading telephone providers to ensure maximum longevity of Taking.Care’s telecare equipment following the switchover.

In preparation for the switch, families and older people are being urged to check the compatibility of their personal alarm with their current telecare provider and phone network once they are informed of a digital upgrade to their home phone. The worry is they could be left at risk if their personal alarm is not able to connect digitally to get help in an emergency, according to Steve Gates, Managing Director at Taking.Care.

He said: “As a company, we’ve been preparing for the transition to the digital network for some time now and Taking.Care is the first service provider to have completed this for a range of personal alarms well ahead of the switchover.

“The process has been a massive collaborative effort. And, it’s involved working closely with Openreach, telecoms providers, Ofcom, alarm manufacturers, and the Technology Services Association (the industry body for technology enabled care), to understand the impact of the digital telephone network on this life-saving service.

“It’s been really important to us to proactively respond to the potential impact the digital switchover will have on our customers. We want to provide our customers with the peace of mind that we can supply a range of products that will mitigate the impact of the digital switchover and safeguard them by instantly connecting them to professional help in an emergency.”

John Livermore, ALL IP Industry Engagement Manager at Openreach commented:

“Openreach were very pleased to host the Taking.Care team in the Digital Services Test Lab, located at our head office in London. We urge all Telecare Vendors to follow a similar path in testing their existing and planned portfolio in an All IP environment, to ensure that their customers are guided through a smooth transition to IP and that no one loses their connectivity through the migration process.”

Vulnerable customers will need to register with their telephone provider to request battery backup for their telecare equipment to ensure consistent connectivity in the event of a power outage.

In light of the digital switchover, Taking.Care has released a series of guides for consumers on how this may impact them.

Visit the Taking.Care advice hub for more information on how the digital telephone switchover affects personal alarms.

Trial sites in Salisbury and Mildenhall – These 2 exchanges are withdrawing from WLR (PSTN) in December this year as trial sites. Follow the links below for further information.

https://www.openreach.com/locations/salisbury

https://www.openreach.com/locations/mildenhall

Letter from John Livermore January 2022

I am pleased to share with you, the latest Stop Sell exchange list. This is available on the Openreach Industry web site, Industry (openreach.com) , which you might like to bookmark.

Just go to the Resources section and then Switching off copper locations list

This site also holds the latest Industry Slide pack, FAQs and Industry Fact Sheets

Many Thanks for your support

Regards

John Livermore

ALL IP Industry Engagement Manager

openreach

Mob: +44 (0) 7889 207939

Teams: +44 (0) 331 626 1200

Web: openreach.co.uk

www.linkedin.com/in/John-Livermore-ALL-IP-openreach

Letter from John Livermore

I am writing to you as a Key Industry Stakeholder of the All IP Programme with Openreach

It’s a great way to keep in touch with the programme

We now want to share with you a further part of the long term strategy for the UK Telephony industry, which is to reduce the number of telephone exchanges maintained in the network driven by the move to IP based services and the efficiencies that will enable.

There are roughly 5,600 telephone exchanges and it is planned to reduce this to around 960, which are termed Openreach Handover Point (OHP) Exchanges.

This is clearly a complex programme and will take many years.

As a starting point Openreach began a consultation process with industry on 12 November 2020 and I can now share that information with you.

Openreach plan to run a pilot of Exchange Exit in 5 locations to gather the learning for the longer term plan.

The 5 exchanges are:

Exchange	Location	Product Stop Sell Restrictions	Exchange Exit
Deddington	Oxfordshire	29/06/2021	Dec  2023
Kenton Road	London	29/06/2021	June 2024
Carrickfergus	County Antrim, Northern Ireland	25/01/2022	June 2024
Ballyclare	County Antrim, Northern Ireland	29/04/2022	June 2024
Glengormley	County Antrim, Northern Ireland	29/04/2022	June 2024

The pilots will start in April 2022, with product withdrawal and Exchange Exit as shown in the table above.

Stop sell restrictions will apply for each product and alternative supply arrangements in the impacted exchange areas will be put in place, with services supplied from the OHP location.

The consultation is open to all parties and feedback is requested by 21 January 2022.

A copy of the document is available on request

We thank you for your continued support and your valued contribution to the programme

Regards

John Livermore

ALL IP Industry Engagement Manager

openreach

Mob: +44 (0) 7889 207939

Teams: +44 (0) 331 626 1200

Web: openreach.co.uk

www.linkedin.com/in/John-Livermore-ALL-IP-openreach

Letter from John Livermore

   

I am very pleased to announce that the Openreach Digital Services Test Lab is now open and we’re ready to take bookings.

The Lab is for vendors of telephony hardware like Telecare, Intruder and Lift alarms, to test their current and future portfolio in an All IP environment in readiness for when traditional phone lines switch off in 2025.

At the Lab you can test access to FTTP and SOGEA/FTTC with the following Communications Providers:

1. BT Consumer
2. BT Enterprise
3. SKY
4. TalkTalk
5. Vodafone
6. Zen

If you are a hardware supplier, or want to inform your supplier of this Lab for them to test their devices, please look here Digital Services Test Lab (openreach.com)

You can use the link on this page to make a booking and arrange for a convenient time to carry out testing.

Openreach is committed to helping industry to get ready for the switch off of the PSTN network and to assisting the migration of all Communication Providers customers to a fibre based service before this date.

I look forward to welcoming you at our Head Quarters in Judd Street, London.

Regards

John Livermore

ALL IP Industry Engagement Manager

openreach

Mob: +44 (0) 7889 207939

Teams: +44 (0) 331 626 1200

Web: openreach.co.uk

www.linkedin.com/in/John-Livermore-ALL-IP-openreach

 

UKTelehealthcare All IP Article

Rabbits in the Digital Headlights

In 2019 Openreach announced that by 2025 they were moving their landline customers from the country’s traditional telephone network, the ‘public switched telephone network’ (PSTN), to newer digital technology known as ‘voice over internet protocol’ (VoIP), which carries calls over a broadband connection.

Openreach understood that the migration from PSTN to VoIP would impact services such as security and fire alarms, telecare devices, retail payment terminals and equipment for monitoring and controlling networks which rely on some attributes of the PSTN that may not be fully replicated in VoIP-based platforms, and that this could have implications for both domestic and business customers.

Openreach, BT, Virgin and Ofcom have engaged with the telecare sector from the onset of the announcement with Talk Talk, OTA2 and NHSX now supporting both providers and suppliers of Technology Enabled Care Services (TECS).  Despite the availability of test labs, online information, fact sheets, webinars and special interest groups there remains an underlining frustration, particularly within the provider sector, of what will or won’t work in the VoIP world!

Early focus tended to be on the compatibly of the home hubs working across the new VoIP networks and, as importantly, the issues around power failures and battery back-up when alarm units were connected to an IP router instead of telephone line.  Although the home hubs (dispersed alarms) and hard-wired systems (scheme alarms) will be an important issue to address we also need to consider the issues around Alarm Monitoring Centres (ARCS) and their compatibility with digital protocols.

It is augured that during the COVID-19 pandemic the TECS industry moved forward five years in the space of three months to adapt their services to continue to support current service users, while also providing new services to support health and social care.  Given the resilience, innovation and commitment shown by TECS providers and suppliers we should be able to address the challenges that the digital transformation programme will bring as long as we ensure that support, clear and concise information, commitment from central government and appropriate funding is available.

Going forward it is imperative that commissioners, procurement teams and TECS providers ensure that equipment purchased between now and 2025 is compatible with the All IP programme and suppliers need to ensure due diligence in guiding their customers through this process.  There is also an important role to be played by the mobile communications providers as the dependency on SIM cards as a back-up become more widely used as a standard.

The impact of All IP on services such as security, fire alarms, retail payment terminals etc. is largely mitigated by the size of these industries and the commercial investment available. The TECS sector relies on a mixture of funding streams, mainly housing and social care, to support 1.8 million vulnerable people and their carers to live more independently, and therefore requires a different approach to ensure this transition is navigated with the minimum of risk and disruption to these services!

UKTelehealthcare (UKTHC), together with a number of other organisations in the TECS sector and the communications providers, have run a number of face-to-face events (pre-Covid) and virtual events since the pandemic to address the issues raised by the All IP transition, but we have to question how much the outcomes from these takes us forward to have a robust plan in which all the TECS sector has confidence.

UKTHC has dedicated our next forum to this subject which will be held on Tuesday 21^st September from 11:00 to 13:00, where there will be sixteen industry experts from leading TECS Suppliers, Communications Providers, Mobile Communications Provides, NHSX, Ofcom, OTA2 and Openreach.

This is a FREE and open event which will give the industry not only the chance to question the panellists about the challenges to your services, but also to give us your thoughts and ideas on how we can support the TECS industry over the next three years.

You can find the full programme and registration link for this event here.

Gerry Allmark

UKTelehealthcare

 

Latest Stop Sell Information

Letter from John Livermore – ALL IP Industry Engagement Manager, Openreach

As a key Industry stakeholder we want to keep you informed about important issues concerning the All IP programme.

I am pleased to share with you the latest Stop Sell Exchange List here.

You will note that 86 Exchanges have been added to the list from this month and there have been some changes to the previous list. Some are due to move to stop sell in October this year, moving into 2022.

4 have moved to Jan 2022 and 7 to April 2022. A further 4 have also been removed from the list. This has been where Openreach have had to reassess the provision of full fibre, where CoVID-19 has had an effect on resources.

The updated schedule can be seen below. There are now 379 exchanges affected plus Mildenhall, which is a SoGEA/FTTC Test Site.

Please keep in touch by registering on our Call Waiting List Digital Phone Lines | Openreach

Upcoming Stop Sells

13 EXCHANGES ENTER STOP SELL

13 Exchanges enter the ‘stop sell’ phase as part of the All IP (Digital Voice) project

Find out if any of these exchanges impact you!

Earlier this year we informed service providers about the upcoming ‘stop sell’ migration for 13 telephone exchanges, taking place on the 29th June 2021. This process has now been completed and end-users in these areas will now no longer be able to purchase PSTN services. Openreach anticipates this change will impact 170,000 premises across the UK.

This is the start of an exciting period where large scale ‘stop sell’ and migrations become a reality. As we move closer to Openreach’s goal of a full withdrawal and closure of PSTN services by 2025, service providers need to consider how they are going to manage their upgrades from a wired analogue service to a wireless digital service.

Follow the link below to see which exchanges are now in the ‘stop sell’ phase.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE EXCHANGE LIST

The latest exchanges announced for April 2022

	77 new exchanges planned for ‘stop sell’
Openreach announced 77 new exchanges to enter ‘stop sell’ in April 2022. This will bring the total number up to 297 – impacting near to 3 million premises across the UK.

CLICK HERE TO DISCOVER MORE

All IP Working Group Meeting 26th April 2021

Following the meeting on the 26^th April, please find a copy of the presentations and contact details for Matthew Evans & Tom Raynsford.

Matthew Evans – matthew.evans@techUK.org  – (The UK’s technology trade association)

Tom Raynsford – tom.raynsford@dcms.gov.uk   – (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

• All IP Working Group TalkTalk Presentation
• Ofcom All IP Working Group Slides

 

CSL have recently created a short 2 minute video explaining All IP for the Telecare sector.

Watch their video here.

 

Please read TalkTalk 21/03/21 updates below.

Third Party Suppliers Lab Waiting List

ARC numbers request

 

Openreach Updates 11/02/2021

 

• Openreach_ALL_IP and WLR Withdrawal Industry Update Feb 21

• Openreach Stop Sell Exchanges Regions A-Z Jan 21 v1.1

• Openreach ALL IP FAQs v1.6

Frequently Asked Questions from All IP Webinar 12th November

This set of FAQs’ is based on questions asked on the BT Consumer all IP update held on 12 November 2020. Questions asked have in some cases been grouped together or slightly edited for publication purposes. FAQ’s

All IP Update Webinar from Thursday 12th November

This webinar was the latest All IP update with BT. In addition to hearing from BT Consumer there were also 10 minute presentations from Openreach and BT Enterprise with 30 minutes at the end for questions from participants. The slides from the webinar can be found below.

• BT CONSUMER – SODHI DHILLON 

• BT ENTERPRISES – RUTH SANDERS

• OPENREACH – JOHN LIVERMORE

Ofcom All IP Working Group Webinar 26th October 2020

Slides available below.

All-IP Working Group Oct 20

 

 

Letter from BT 17th September 2020

 

Hello,

Further to our previous communication of January 2020, we’re writing to you today to advise that from September 2020, BT Consumer will gradually start including Special Service customers into our provision of Digital Voice.

We’re taking extra care to ensure Special Service users aren’t adversely affected by the move to all IP. Customers using Special Services continue to be identified through various means such as Alarm Receiving Centre calls and specific questions as part of the customer order journey.

Where we identify Special Service customers, we will advise them to inform their Special Service provider, be it telecare alarms, intruder alarms or other signalling equipment, to make them aware that their service is moving to Digital Voice. The Service Provider will need to decide what appropriate action is needed.

Intruder alarm users or other special services equipment users will be advised to contact their service provider. Telecare users will be advised to speak with their provider by making an alarm call.

The transition to all IP Voice services by communication providers is in line with BT’s announcement to move all our customers from PSTN to all IP by the end of 2025. Digital Voice is now available nationally to eligible new and existing customers. Digital Voice is not currently being offered to customers requiring a voice only service, they will remain on PSTN for the time being.

In closing, here’s our previous communication on our Digital Voice launch. For more information please visit our all-IP website.

Yours sincerely,

Sodhi Dhillon

Special Services Industry Engagement

BT Consumer

M: +44 7710 069270

E:  btdigitalvoice@bt.com

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A webinar was hosted by UKTelehealthcare, BT and Openreach on 2nd September 2020 to update members on the latest IP switchover news.

The presentations can be found on the Members Area and a recording of the webinar will be available shortly.

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The All IP Working Group (Ofcom, Openreach,  OTA, NICC, BSG and Virgin Media) has published their latest updates 28th May 2020.  Read the report below:

All-IP Working Group Report 28th May 2020

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 The latest on BT’s all IP plans and how they’ll affect telecare users, particularly ARCs. 

 

In 2017, BT announced their intention to move all voice communications to IP, a move that will have implications on our industry.

Similar to when the UK switched to digital TV a few years ago, we’re now looking at the same kind of switch for telephony services to an all IP network. But this means many existing telecare devices may not work as they have done in the past

Whilst 2025 is the proposed end target, digital services will likely start to roll out soon and consequently signalling systems could be affected before the 2025 date.

How can Alarm Receiving centres help ensure their users aren’t left without service?

BT Consumer is asking ARCs to provide their incoming telephone numbers (the number the telecare device dials). They can use this number to see who has a special service on their line and make sure no one is left vulnerable or without service from the switchover.

• BT will look for these numbers in their calls records to identify the customers who have dialled them in the last 12 months and will put a marker in their account. (It’s reasonable to assume that any calls to this number would be from a device of some sort)
• They won’t note the supplier, type of service or make/model of any special services device on those customers’ lines, just the fact that it’s likely there’s a special services device on that line
• It will allow BT to take extra care with those customers at the time of upgrading them onto digital voice services
• No numbers or customer information will not be shared with anybody else and BT Consumer will put in place a Non-Disclosure Agreement if required.

You can provide your incoming telephone numbers or request further information from BT by email at: btdigitalvoice@bt.com. With Openreach trials planned for Salisbury and Mildenhall next year it’s really important all ARCs provide numbers as soon as possible.

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Update October 2019  –   Read about the latest Virgin Media Trials

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September 2019 Technical Working Group Update  – All-IP (Voice) Technical Working Group 240919

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Read the latest August press release from Openreach here

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Ofcom’s recent publication on the Salisbury trial specifically related to some regulatory changes necessary to allow the move to fibre to take place can be read here.

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Changes to telephone networks – initial advice to potentially-affected sectors

Why is there a change from landlines to voice calls over the internet?

• The UK’s telecoms networks will undergo substantial change in the coming years, as the companies that run them upgrade their technology. Some phone companies are already gradually moving their landline customers from the country’s traditional telephone network – the ‘public switched telephone network’ (PSTN) – to newer digital technology known as ‘voice over internet protocol’ (VoIP), which carries calls over a broadband connection. This means that some businesses and individuals in your sector may already be using VoIP technology, rather than a landline, for their voice calls.

• The change will offer potential benefits to consumers, such as clearer phone calls, and it will help ensure the UK’s landline telephone services are fit for the future – including because the PSTN itself is becoming increasingly difficult and costly to fix, and it will cease to be reliable over time. The transition will be straightforward for most customers but some may require additional support to help them update their services.

• This change, from PSTN to VoIP, is being driven by the telephone companies.

How might this have wider impacts on the telehealth and personal care alarm industry?

• This change is not just about making calls on landline phones:

• Over time, many other services and pieces of equipment have come to use and rely on the technical characteristics of the traditional PSTN phone network – like its ability to transport data encoded in voice band ‘tones’ (which, for example, fax machines use), and the fact that it can carry power to facilities and devices that do not have a mains power supply. Equipment or services that rely on these characteristics may need replacing, upgrading or reconfiguring.  It is possible that some facilities that your sector uses may be affected by the transition.  Based on our engagement so far – with telephone companies, wider communications providers and stakeholders – we think these could include:
  • Telehealth and telecare services, such as monitoring systems and personal care alarms;
  • Internal telecommunications systems, such as voice services and fax machines;
  • Other products and services which rely on telephone line power.[1]

• In addition, the ‘PSTN switch off’ will also lead to the cessation of ‘ISDN’ (Integrated Services Digital Network – a pre-broadband approach to providing digital connectivity) services. While ISDN use is limited these days, when it is used it can be for specific purposes or in specific circumstances which may be more difficult to replicate or replace. So, while many organisations in your sector may not be affected, any that are may need tailored solutions.

When is this happening?

• Initial migrations will start this year (2019), where customers opt to use the new services, with completion by 2025 when the PSTN is expected to be switched off. However, different telephone companies are at different stages of managing their switch from PSTN to VoIP, leading to differences in both the particular approach each company adopts, and the timescales over which their migrations take place.

What actions do organisations need to take?

• Telephone companies will generally not be aware of all the services and equipment that their customers are using which rely on the old PSTN technology. To ensure smooth transition, the communications regulator Ofcom is encouraging organisations to contact their telephone company, and also any suppliers of services they use that rely on the telephone network, as early as possible to discuss the changes and plan for any potential impact on the particular services and equipment they use.

• Ofcom recommends the following action:
• Establish if any services/technology that you or your contractors use rely on the PSTN or ISDN, and make sure you know what and where these are, whether they use the PSTN’s voice/or data capabilities, and if they rely on power through PSTN lines. Investigate widely within your sector – be aware that not all services obviously relate to landline voice calls
• Contact your communications provider(s) to discuss timescales and the potential impact of the move to IP services on you or your business
• Contact your service and / or equipment suppliers to see if they have conducted any testing or already offer alternatives that will work with VoIP services. Consider whether your equipment needs to be upgraded, re-configured or replaced and plan appropriate action
• Consider whether it may be beneficial to schedule or bring forward any necessary modifications/upgrades in advance of the move to VoIP to build in optimum time to make changes
• Ensure that other stakeholders/arms-length bodies are aware of the change and can begin engaging with their communications provider and suppliers
• Please let Ofcom (FutureOfVoice@ofcom.org.uk) know if you become aware of any additional services that could be affected by the change which have not been identified in this note.

Where can I find out more?

• Ofcom’s policy positioning statement on migration to VoIP – The future of fixed telephone services – sets out the changes, describes the roles and responsibilities of different organisations, and establishes Ofcom’s expectations of telecoms providers
• Openreach, which runs the network infrastructure for many telephone companies, has also produced a short video to explain the changes
• Contact your communications provider(s).

What next?

• Telephone companies are working together to develop a website that will host information about the change.
• Ofcom, working with the telephone companies, will continue to work with affected stakeholders and sectors to ensure there is widespread understanding of this change. With good planning, citizens and consumers can be protected from unnecessary disruption.

[1] This list is not exhaustive – there may be other applications within your sector

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Virgin Media, in common with other Communication Providers, is updating the way we deliver our telephone services. These services will no longer be delivered over the technology of the past, but instead will be delivered over IP Voice technology that is designed for the future.

These changes may affect you and your customers if the products or services you supply rely on the legacy public switched telephone network (PSTN), which is the case for many tele-care providers.

We need your assistance to identify customers that are common to our respective services to ensure that the appropriate support can be provided during this transition. Specifically we would like you to provide us with the telephone numbers that your solutions use to call your Alarm Receiving Centres.

Further to this, we would like to understand if your ARCs have different telephone numbers depending on the purpose of the device or solution. For example, we would like to know if tele-care devices call a different number to security alarms.

This information should be emailed to ipvoice@virginmedia.co.uk

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With BT Having announced its intention to move all voice communications to an IP platform by 2025 we’ve created a new blog on our website dedicated to the all IP rollout that they and most Communication Providers (CPs) will be implementing.

For users, the key change is that telephone services will run over broadband. Phones will connect to a broadband router instead of being plugged into the phone socket on the wall. Exactly how they connect (i.e. if they are plugged in or work wirelessly) will depend on the type of phone being used. This means that any ‘Life Line’ device that currently plugs in to the phone line in a similar way will need to be tested to ensure it will work on the all IP network.

BT will continue to provide regular updates in the coming months and they’ll be contacting many of our members to talk about testing equipment and identifying users of telecare systems. In the meantime take some time to read their information leaflet and meet the team working on the project. btplc.com/DigitalServicesLab

We also welcome similar posts from other CPs and will be actively encouraging participation in this blog to ensure everyone is fully aware of developments.