UK landline switchover risks emergency cut-offs, MPs warn
UK MPs have warned minister Dan Jarvis that plans to scrap traditional copper-wire landlines by January next year could leave remote residents unable to call for help during emergencies.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- The UK plans to switch off traditional copper-wire landlines and move to an internet-based digital network by the end of January next year.
- MPs representing remote areas have warned the move could leave vulnerable residents unable to call for help during power cuts or storms.
- Unlike digital services, traditional landline networks do not rely on mains electricity and continue functioning during blackouts.
- The government states that network operators must provide free back-up battery units to vulnerable customers for safety.
Plans to switch off the United Kingdom's traditional landline phone network in favor of an internet-based digital system, scheduled to be completed by the end of January next year, have sparked serious warnings from members of parliament over emergency access in remote areas.
While both the government and telecom operators maintain that the transition to digital landlines will deliver a more reliable service, MPs representing remote parts of the country urged security minister Dan Jarvis to ensure the removal of copper wires does not leave their communities dangerously vulnerable during storms or other crises.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Unlike modern digital alternatives, the traditional analog landline network does not rely on mains electricity and continues operating normally even during a power outage.
Torcuil Crichton, the Labour MP for the Western Isles constituency of Na h-Eileanan an Iar, stated that while resilience is deeply ingrained in island life, the shift from analog to digital phone lines has triggered major connectivity hurdles for residents.
Retail service providers have distributed back-up battery packs to vulnerable customers, capable of keeping landline phones running for an hour or more, but similar fears were echoed by MPs representing the West Country and the Lake District.
"I ask the minister to imagine an elderly constituent living alone in an isolated Lake District valley where copper phone lines have been replaced by fibre. A storm takes out the power to their router in the night and by the time they wake, the modest battery back up has failed, as has the mobile mast, does the minister share my concerns that they would have no way to raise an alarm in an emergency and agree that we need a new technological solution to protect the elderly?"
Markus Campbell-Savours
Markus Campbell-Savours, the Labour MP for Penrith and Solway, pressed the minister to consider the severe risks faced by isolated elderly residents if battery backups and mobile masts fail simultaneously during a stormy night.
The global transition toward All-IP digital telecommunications infrastructure is a necessary modernization effort replacing aging analog networks, yet it introduces critical vulnerabilities regarding emergency preparedness. Ensuring uninterrupted communication in remote regions during extreme weather events requires robust backup solutions that go beyond short-term battery packs, highlighting a vital ongoing challenge for policymakers and network operators alike.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Conservative MP Julian Lewis also voiced concerns back in March 2025 regarding the absence of a reliable backup system if digital phone services fail due to cyber attacks or other emergencies, noting that the old copper-wire network provided a useful level of emergency resilience.
In response, security minister Dan Jarvis assured MPs that their concerns would be addressed at an upcoming government resilience summit scheduled to take place in Cornwall next month, while also promising to raise telecom industry issues with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Source: BBC Business
Found something wrong in this article? Report an issue with this article
Comments
Leave a Comment