Ofcom has made BT fix how it handles the digital landline switch
Ofcom has closed a compliance process against BT after finding weaknesses in how the company protected vulnerable customers during the digital landline switch. BT has made changes, and Ofcom says it is satisfied those changes address the problems it found.
If you or a relative rely on a landline for something more than phone calls, this is worth five minutes of your attention, whatever supplier you are actually with.
What went wrong with BT’s process?
Ofcom raised its concerns in February 2026, about BT’s outbound calling campaign used to move customers over during the digital landline switch. It found three problems. BT’s own policy for protecting vulnerable customers was not clear enough. Staff could incorrectly identify whether a customer used telecare equipment, meaning the alarm pendants and personal alarm systems that rely on a working line. And where a telecare customer’s service did stop working after being moved across, restoration was not always handled quickly or consistently.
For someone who depends on that alarm working, a delay is not a minor inconvenience.
What has changed, and what is still being finished
BT has introduced further safeguards to verify telecare customers before an order is progressed, using system alerts and improved agent training. It has strengthened its welfare restoration process with post-migration checks for telecare customers. And it has updated its published vulnerability policy to clarify how those protections are monitored.
One detail worth knowing: most of these measures are already in place, but the final changes are not due until the end of November 2026. So the safeguards are still being completed rather than fully bedded in. That is a reason to check your own line rather than assume the system will catch you.
Ofcom has not issued a fine here, choosing instead to secure fixes to the underlying process. That is a meaningful distinction: the pressure was aimed at getting vulnerable customers properly identified going forward, not at extracting a penalty for what already happened.
Are you or a relative on telecare? Here’s what to check
Tell your provider directly if you or someone in your household uses a telecare alarm, even if you assume they already know. Being on a list somewhere is not the same as your specific provider having flagged your line for extra care during the digital landline switch.
Ask your telecare provider to test the alarm again after any switch to digital voice, rather than assuming it still works exactly as before. Our telecare checklist for the landline switch off covers the specific steps worth taking before your own switch date arrives.
If your provider gets it wrong, here is where to go
Start with your provider, and put the complaint in writing so there is a record of when you raised it.
If they do not sort it, the next step is an alternative dispute resolution scheme, which is free to you and reaches a binding decision. There are two approved for telecoms: the Communications Ombudsman and CISAS. Your provider has to tell you which one it belongs to, and it will be one or the other.
One change that matters if you are waiting on a telecare fix. Since 8 April 2026 you can take a complaint to ADR after six weeks rather than the eight weeks it used to be. You can also go sooner if your provider issues a deadlock letter.
Ofcom itself does not resolve individual complaints. It is worth reporting a problem to Ofcom because it feeds the evidence that drives action like the BT case above, but it will not get your own alarm working. The ADR scheme is the route that produces a remedy for you.
Why this matters beyond BT
BT is not the only provider running the digital landline switch. Every supplier still has analogue customers to move across before the network switches off nationally, and the same telecare risk exists wherever a landline is involved. Ofcom acting here sets an expectation the whole industry now has to meet, not just the one company it investigated.
It is also a reminder that regulatory action does not always mean a headline fine. Getting a large provider to fix a process that affects vulnerable customers can matter more day to day than a penalty arriving months after the harm was done. Our wider guide on the landline switch off covers the full timeline and what to expect regardless of which provider you are with.
Key takeaways
- Ofcom found weaknesses in how BT identified and protected vulnerable customers during the digital landline switch, raised in February 2026.
- BT has made changes and Ofcom has closed the case, but the final measures are not due until the end of November 2026.
- Tell your provider directly if you or a relative uses a telecare alarm, and have it retested after any switch.
- If a complaint is not resolved, go to the Communications Ombudsman or CISAS, not to Ofcom, which does not handle individual cases.
- Since 8 April 2026 you can escalate to ADR after six weeks instead of eight.
- The full PSTN switch off is still due to conclude by 31 January 2027.
Frequently asked questions about the digital landline switch
- What is the digital landline switch?
- It’s the industry-wide move from the old analogue phone network to digital voice services delivered over broadband, with the old network due to switch off by 31 January 2027.
- Who do I complain to if my provider ignores a telecare flag?
- Your provider first, in writing. If it is not resolved, take it to whichever approved ADR scheme your provider belongs to, either the Communications Ombudsman or CISAS. Ofcom does not resolve individual complaints, though reporting to them does inform enforcement.
- How long do I have to wait before escalating?
- Six weeks from raising the complaint, reduced from eight weeks on 8 April 2026. You can go earlier if your provider gives you a deadlock letter saying it can do no more.
- Does this Ofcom action mean BT was fined?
- No. Ofcom secured changes to BT’s processes through a compliance remediation process rather than issuing a fine in this instance.
- Will my telecare alarm stop working after the digital landline switch?
- It shouldn’t, if your provider has correctly identified your line and the equipment has been tested. Given BT’s final safeguards are not due until the end of November 2026, confirm directly rather than assuming.
- What if my provider isn’t BT?
- These expectations apply across the industry, not just to BT, so raise any concerns about telecare or vulnerability directly with your own provider.
The digital landline switch isn’t optional, but how carefully your provider handles it should be. If you or someone you know relies on a landline for more than conversation, make sure that’s on record before the switch date arrives.
Sources
- ISPreview, Ofcom secures BT changes to protect vulnerable UK users during the digital phone switch. Ofcom’s February 2026 concerns, the three fixes BT has made, the end of November 2026 completion date, and the absence of a fine.
- Ofcom, Quicker complaints resolution for telecoms customers under new Ofcom rules. The two approved ADR schemes, and the reduction from eight weeks to six from 8 April 2026.
Checked 25 September 2026.
