The Digital Switchover is coming to Holt Heath

The Digital Switchover is coming for Holt Heath.

Over the past couple of years we have received repeated warnings about the fact that the Digital Switchover was going to take place in our area. Last week I received an email from my Broadband and Landline provider that informed me that “The broadband network in your area is being upgraded as part of the national network upgrade. Your current Broadband and Landline service — which is delivered through an old copper network — will be switched off from August 2026.”

As the current copper service is being permanently switched off, your Broadband & Traditional Landline service will stop working after the switch-off date.

• You won’t be able to make or receive any calls, including Emergency calls or 999 calls.
• Any Telecare, health care or medical devices such as alarms, pull cords or a button you’d press in an emergency, that use the fixed telephone line will stop working.
• You’ll lose your home telephone number.

As a household where we only have full fibre to the junction box at the end of our road, with a copper network from the junction box to the house, and with little sign that this is going to be upgraded anytime soon, this came as a little bit of a surprise, so I started to look into what I needed to do in-order to still have a landline phone available to me.

There are options that are available to you if you find that you are in the same situation and particularly if you have any Telecare, health care or medical devices such as alarms, pull cords or a button you’d press in an emergency, that use the fixed telephone line.

To maintain your landline, and to stay connected, you’ll need to move to a broadband & phone service on a new technology before the switch-off date, your service provider should be informing you as to how you can do this, if they have not then please get in touch with them and find out what you need to do. If you are the guardian or carer for a vulnerable person who could be affected by this, you should find out who their service provider is and contact them to see how they can assist with the switchover, particularly in relation to any Telecare, health care or medical devices such as alarms, pull cords or a button you’d press in an emergency, that currently use the fixed telephone line.

The new technologies will provide a solution for those households who are still on a traditional copper network, however the new technologies are digital based, this means that in the event of a power cut, the service will be lost until the power is restored. One of the questions your service provider will ask is, “does the household has access to a mobile phone to use in case of any emergencies if the digital service is down”, if they don’t have access or use of a mobile phone then this needs to be brought to the attention of the service provider so that they can advise you on the best solution.

There is no need to panic at this time, however prompt action now by contacting your service provider to find out how they can assist you with the switchover will ensure that when the time comes in August you will have no problems.

Further information on the digital switchover can be found on the Worcestershire County Council website on The Digital Switchover is coming | Worcestershire County Council.