Changes to the UK telephone system and your community alarm / telecare system

There are changes that are being made to the UK telephone system. This may affect the lifeline community alarm service that customers receive from Herts Careline.

We want to make sure that your lifeline alarm system and pendant continues to work for you effectively and keeps you safe.

What is happening to the telephone system?

In the UK, the analogue telephone system that we have used for many years is being gradually replaced with a modern digital system. This is called a digital upgrade. This is because the UK needs a modern telephone system which can handle how people want to communicate by using their mobile phones, laptops, tablets or other electronic devices.

The digital upgrade is planned to be completed by the end of 2025 and phone companies are already encouraging people to upgrade their phone systems as many are being switched over much sooner than anticipated. This will involve your phone provider arranging for a telephone engineer to come to your home to install the new system.

What do I have to do?

At this stage, we want to make you aware that this change is happening, so that you will know what to do in case your telephone provider contacts you to offer you a digital upgrade from your old telephone system. It may be, however that your telephone service has already been upgraded. 

Herts Careline will contact customers of our analogue system to change their community alarm and telecare equipment to a digital version when it becomes your turn.

What if I still have the old, analogue telephone system?

At the moment, most people have the analogue telephone system. You will know this because your telephone connects directly into the mains telephone socket.

Please follow these instructions

•             If your telephone provider contacts you to arrange a digital upgrade, ask them to put a marker on your account to ensure they are aware that you have a lifeline alarm service.

•             Please also request a free of charge battery backup unit from your telephone provider as you currently have a lifeline alarm.

•             If your telephone provider gives you a date for an engineer to come and upgrade the system, please contact us so we can update your account and make the necessary arrangements.

•             When the engineer comes, make sure that they are aware that you use a lifeline unit at home and the installation cannot be completed until a successful alarm test call has taken place following the digital upgrade.

•             The installer from your lifeline provider will visit your home to ensure that your lifeline unit is re-connected successfully by making a test call to our Control Room using your lifeline unit is working correctly before the engineer leaves your home. 

Important information about the battery backup

The battery back-up will provide 1 hour of service in the event of a mains power failure. Because of this, we strongly advise you to have an alternative way of communicating in case of an emergency, such as a mobile phone or pager.

What else do I need to know?

Herts Careline will contact customers of our analogue system to change their community alarm and telecare equipment to a digital version when it becomes your turn.

Our main concern is to ensure you have a smooth transition to the digital system. We want to ensure the continuity of the lifeline service for your safety is our paramount concern. 

If you have any questions, please contact us on 01462 445498 or email CarelineTechSupport@north-herts.gov.uk