March 2026 Housing Blog: Preparing for the January 2027 Deadline

 

Last month, we highlighted a series of inspiring case studies showcasing innovative approaches to digital telecare within the housing sector. As we move toward the new financial year, our attention now shifts to the critical activity underway across communication providers and housing partners as they prepare for the UK-wide digital migration.

A Hard Stop Deadline: January 2027

January 2027 is the definitive deadline for the analogue switch-off, arguably the most significant milestone for the telecare community and Housing providers and telecare teams should already be well underway with preparations. Throughout 2026, it is essential to develop robust migration plans for all telecare systems supporting residents, from dispersed alarms to warden call systems. These plans should ensure systems are either fully migrated to digital or have appropriate safeguards in place for continuity beyond the January 2027 deadline.

Communication Provider Engagement

Communication providers have begun rolling out proactive, targeted engagement with telecare users. Following the Telecare Service Provider meeting late last year:

• VM02 outlined a focused regional engagement strategy.
• BT/EE is contacting customers with telecare alarms to support their move from analogue to digital services.

Residents are now receiving letters inviting them to book appointments with Openreach engineers trained in telecare support. This process, known as Prove Telecare, ensures alarm units are correctly connected to Digital Voice and, where appropriate, tested to the Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) for compatibility.

Telecare teams, housing partners, and ARCs should reassure their users, particularly those whose systems are already digital or operate through ARC-connected warden call solutions, that the residential landline switchover should not impact service. Encourage residents or families to test alarms following engineer visits; ARCs welcome these test calls.

BT’s Recent Call to Action

BT has issued the following guidance for housing providers, telecare teams, and ARCs:

• Encourage appointment booking
  Support residents to confirm engineer visits, especially where telecare will not be affected.
• Share or refresh telecare data
  Ensure ARC-held telecare data shared with communication providers is current and identifies users already migrated to digital solutions, such as GSM-based devices.
• Provide escalation contact information
  Offer a direct ARC contact number for engineers to reach out should issues arise during Prove Telecare.

Clear communication to service users is vital, particularly for those already fully migrated to digital. Make this information easy to find across websites, newsletters, on-site communications, and staff interactions.

For urgent BT queries in Scotland, contact the Engagement Lead: Sodhi Dhillon (XCB R) – Scotland, Wales & the Southwest at sodhi.dhillon@ee.co.uk.

BT has also announced significant analogue infrastructure price increases to encourage digital migration:

20% increase in April 2026

40% increase in July 2026

40% increase in October 2026

Their message is clear: move to digital.

Options for Organisations Not Ready to Migrate

Some organisations unable to transition by August 2025 are choosing the Pre-Digital Phone Line (PDPL), BT’s dedicated landline service. PDPL maintains copper connectivity for business lines as a PSTN replacement, while Openreach will launch Emergency Voice Access in February 2027 to further support migration.

BT’s Telecare National Action Plan confirms PDPL as an interim solution, preserving analogue telephone lines and telecare alarm functionality without the need for on-site engineering. Migration to PDPL will occur through 2026, but ordering is now closed except for telecare users, whose fulfilment begins in 2026. After January 2027, customers not digitally migrated will be transitioned to PDPL, which is expected to remain available until 2030.

Housing associations should note PDPL is voice-only and not designed specifically for telecare; reliability may be affected if analogue signals travel across partial digital networks. The government recommends full digital solutions, so telecare alarms communicate directly with digital ARCs.

BT offers free lab testing for PDPL compatibility, and manufacturers have generally reported positive results. Providers using PDPL should test extensively and monitor ongoing performance, with contingency plans for any issues.

Avoid cancelling a received PDPL installation date to prevent delays.

Key Considerations for PDPL:

• All variants support DTMF and STMF signalling; they work with warden call systems if ARC supports analogue.
• PDPL will not work if ARC transitions to NowIP/SCAIP-only.
• PDPL does not extend the life of old systems; faulty equipment should be replaced with digital alternatives.
• Organisations should coordinate elective migration with their provider or account manager.

BT Consumer & Business Migration Programmes

• BT Consumer is encouraging customers to migrate to PDPL under the branding Dedicated Land Line Service.
• BT Business is progressing Protective Migration for PSTN lines supporting life and limb services (e.g., telecare, fire alarms).

Protective Migration offers a reduced functionality copper service. Features such as call transfer to mobile may not be supported. For grouped schemes, consider enabling off-site mode via the ARC as a workaround, though additional monitoring fees may apply.

BT Line Migration Examples

• Single PSTN line with no broadband: Migrated to PDPL.
• PSTN + inactive legacy broadband: Broadband ceased; PSTN migrated to PDPL (with potential restoration if engagement occurs within 30 days).
• PSTN + active broadband: Broadband upgraded; PSTN voice line ceased.

Single PSTN lines with no broadband often support warden call systems, consult your IT team or BT Account Manager for details.

Testing & Tracking

Confirm with your warden call system provider that equipment has been tested over PDPL. BT reports successful testing for Tunstall and LeGrand/Tynetec XT1/XT2 systems. Recent migrations, such as Edinburgh City Council’s shift to PDPL, have been completed without disruption.

Digital Telecare is tracking organisations purchasing PDPL or similar 2030 analogue products. To support this, please email: digitaltelecare@digitaloffice.scot.

Further Options

Openreach offers EVAc, a PDPL product designed to facilitate forced migration of solo PSTN lines still active after January 2027. This is available to any communication provider needing to keep certain lines on analogue temporarily.

Looking Ahead

Scotland continues to make strong progress, with nearly 90% of dispersed telecare now digitally ready or fully digital to the ARC. Housing remains a more complex challenge due to scale and replacement costs, with many choosing dispersed telecare over warden call solutions.

For further inspiration, last month’s blog featured transition options and real-world case studies, well worth revisiting as planning intensifies.

Your Call to Action

If your organisation is still planning its telecare digital migration, or if you’re considering interim options such as PDPL, now is the time to act. Review your telecare systems, engage with your communication provider, and ensure your residents are supported well ahead of the January 2027 deadline.

To help Scotland maintain an accurate national picture of analogue reliance, please let the Digital Telecare team know if your organisation intends to use a 2030 analogue product or PDPL as part of your transition plans.

Email us at: digitaltelecare@digitaloffice.scot

Together, we can ensure a smooth, safe, and futureready migration to digital telecare for every citizen.