Rural residents are raising alarms over the UK's digital switchover from copper landlines to broadband-based services, with campaigners urging the government to extend the 2027 deadline to 2030. The transition, which replaces the public switched telephone network (PSTN) with 'digital voice' technology, has left some vulnerable users without reliable communication during power outages.
Robert Dewar, living in a remote Scottish Highlands village, described being cut off for 42 hours during a recent blackout. 'Every time there is a power failure I lose all means of communication with the outside world,' he said, noting that his emergency backup battery lasted only five hours. 'If I had had a heart attack there is damn all I could have done about it.'
Silver Voices, a campaign group for the over-60s, has collected over 100,000 signatures on its 'save our landlines' petition. Director Dennis Reed called the situation 'a disaster waiting to happen,' warning that vulnerable customers may be switched off without adequate support. Ofcom's 2025 Connected Nations report predicts more complex customers will make up a larger share of remaining PSTN users as the deadline approaches.
BT, the universal service provider, says supporting customers is a 'top priority,' offering free in-home assistance and backup power solutions for those with additional needs. The company estimates less than 1% of its landline customers lack sufficient mobile signal for emergency calls, a figure it aims to reduce through rural coverage investments.
Industry experts advise that digital voice calls do not require a full broadband package; BT must provide basic voice-only or low-data options. Customers should receive several weeks' notice before the switch and may be sent a new router. Backup batteries must guarantee at least one hour of emergency service access during power cuts.
