Landline going digital and you have a pendant alarm? Here's what happens
Three questions, three answers Your alarm, your number and power cuts, in ten seconds. Will my alarm still work? Yes, once it's checked Providers that signed the government's PSTN Charter have promised not to move anyone with a telecare alarm until it's confirmed working. Do I keep my number? Yes, it stays the same Ofcom confirms you keep your phone number when your landline goes digital. What if the power goes off? Ask for a free back-up A digital home phone needs mains power. If you rely on your landline, your provider must offer you a free back-up of at least an hour.
When your landline moves to Digital Voice, a pendant alarm can keep working, but only once it has been checked on the new line, so tell your phone provider and your alarm provider before the switch. Providers that signed the government's PSTN Charter have promised not to move anyone with a telecare alarm until a working solution is confirmed. You keep your phone number. A digital home phone stops in a power cut unless it has a battery back-up, and if you rely on your landline your provider must offer you a free one that lasts at least an hour. Many newer alarms, like Shropshire Council's Lifeline Digital, connect over the mobile network with their own battery, so they don't depend on the phone line at all. Moving to digital is free, so anyone asking you to pay for it is a scammer.
Sort the alarm first, then check the price
Moving to digital is free. But if you're out of contract, you could be paying more than you need to.
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Key facts, verified 20 October 2026
- The old analogue phone network closes on 31 January 2027. About 1.2 million lines were still to move on 24 September 2026, including about 350,000 businesses, and about 15 million had already moved (Openreach).
- More than 70,000 people with telecare alarms had been moved through Openreach's Prove Telecare service by 24 September 2026, with an engineer checking the alarm works on the new line before the move (Openreach).
- Under the PSTN Charter, signed on 18 December 2023 and updated on 22 January 2026, signatory providers will not move a telecare user until a working, compatible solution is confirmed (GOV.UK).
- An estimated 2 million people in the UK use telecare (GOV.UK, Telecare National Action Plan, 11 February 2025).
- Of BT customers still on the old network in June 2026, 29% were aged 80 or over and 23% used telecare (BT stakeholder pack, June 2026).
- You keep your phone number when your landline goes digital, and if you rely on your landline your provider must offer a free power cut back-up lasting at least one hour; some last up to seven (Ofcom, updated 26 August 2026).
- Tunstall rates its Lifeline Digital alarm hub's battery at up to 72 hours on standby when new and fully charged (Tunstall datasheet, 2026).
- If your own mobile network is down, 999 and 112 calls go through another network, free, even with no credit (Ofcom).
- Report Fraud replaced Action Fraud on 4 December 2025 for England, Wales and Northern Ireland; the number is still 0300 123 2040 (City of London Police).
- BT Home Essentials Call Only costs £10 a month for people on Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit), Universal Credit and certain other benefits, on a 12-month term with no exit fees (BT, terms from 7 August 2026).
Who this is for: anyone who has had a letter saying their landline is moving to Digital Voice and who has a pendant alarm, and anyone helping a parent or neighbour who does. We've told it through Margaret, who is 81 and lives alone in a bungalow outside Shrewsbury. Margaret is an example built from the questions we hear most, not a real customer, but her worries are the ones people bring us every week: will the alarm still work, will I keep my number, and what happens if the power goes off?
Will my pendant alarm still work after the switch?
Direct answer: It can, but it must be checked on the new line first. Tell your phone provider and your alarm provider as soon as the letter arrives, and providers that signed the PSTN Charter won't move you until the alarm is confirmed working.
Older pendant alarms were built for the copper phone line. When you press the button, the alarm box sends tones down the line to a monitoring centre. On a digital line those tones travel over the internet, where some older units can get garbled, so the call for help may not get through. That's why every alarm needs checking before the switch, not after.
How a pendant alarm calls for help, old and new How it used to work An older alarm on the old copper line Copper phone line Phone network How most alarms worked for decades. The line carried its own power from the exchange. Needs a test An older alarm on a digital line Into the router Internet Older alarms send tones made for copper lines, and over the internet they can get garbled. That's why the alarm must be tested on the new line before you're moved. No phone line needed A digital alarm with its own SIM Mobile signal Mobile network Like Shropshire Council's Lifeline Digital. It doesn't use the landline at all and has its own battery, rated up to 72 hours.
The rules changed after things went wrong. In December 2023 providers signed the government's PSTN Charter, promising not to move a telecare user until the provider, the customer or the alarm company confirms a working solution. In December 2025 Ofcom fined Virgin Media £23.8 million for disconnecting telecare customers during its earlier migration. Today, Openreach's Prove Telecare engineers check the alarm works on the new line before the customer is moved, and more than 70,000 people with telecare had been moved that way by September 2026.
Nearly there, and the people left look a lot like Margaret Roughly 92.6% of the way there, by our arithmetic from Openreach figures, 24 September 2026. BT customers still on the old network, June 2026
Who does what Your phone provider Your alarm provider You, or someone helping you
Margaret's alarm comes from Shropshire Council, so her alarm provider is Tunstall. If she has the newer Lifeline Digital unit, it doesn't use the phone line at all. If she has an older one, Tunstall can tell her what happens next.
In Shropshire: who to call about a council pendant alarm
There's good national guidance too. Citizens Advice has a short checklist for personal alarms, the telecare industry body TSA has a resource hub, Age UK explains the change for older people, and RNID covers textphones and hearing loss. For the full detail on care alarms, see our care alarm guide.
Do I keep my phone number?
Direct answer: Yes. Ofcom confirms your number stays the same when your landline goes digital, and it can come with you if you change provider.
Nothing changes about who can ring you. BT advises dialling the area code for every call once you've moved, even local ones. If you decide to change provider at the same time, your new provider handles it through One Touch Switch, so you don't need to cancel the old one yourself. And if a number has been cancelled by mistake, Ofcom says you can still keep it, free, if you ask within a month. Our guide to keeping your number has more.
Who to call: provider telecare contacts
Provider Telecare and Digital Voice contact BT and EE Telecare line 0800 077 8813. Digital Voice line 0800 800 150. Free engineer visits and back-up power where needed (BT) Virgin Media Call 150 or 0345 454 1111. Free Emergency Backup Line for people who rely on a landline or have no mobile (Virgin Media) Sky Tell Sky about a care alarm using its telecare form (Sky Help) TalkTalk TalkTalk says the old-network closure no longer affects its customers. Tell it about any care device; its switchover helpline is 0345 172 0088 (TalkTalk) Any other provider Use the number on your letter or your bill, and say you have a telecare alarm
What happens if the power goes off?
Direct answer: A phone plugged into the router stops working in a power cut unless there's a battery back-up. If you rely on your landline, your provider must offer you a free back-up that lasts at least an hour.
The old copper line carried its own power from the exchange, which is why a landline kept working when the lights went out. A digital line runs through your router, and the router needs mains electricity. Ofcom's power cut guidance, still in force, says providers must offer customers who depend on their landline at least one way to reach 999 for an hour or more, free. That includes people with no mobile phone, no reliable signal at home, or a telecare alarm.
What still works when the power goes off
What you have In a power cut A Digital Voice phone plugged into the router Stops working, unless the router has a battery back-up A cordless phone Its base needs mains power. Keep a corded phone to plug into the router's back-up Your mobile phone Works while it's charged. If your network is down, 999 calls use another network, free (Ofcom) A digital SIM alarm hub, like Lifeline Digital Keeps working on its own battery, rated up to 72 hours when new (Tunstall) An older alarm plugged into the phone line Depends on the router's back-up and the alarm's own battery. Ask your alarm provider A BT landline with no broadband BT says phones that work in a power cut today will carry on doing so
One thing catches people out. The router back-up is about you reaching 999. It doesn't, on its own, keep your alarm working, and our care alarm guide explains why those are two different rules. So ask your alarm provider separately how long the alarm itself keeps going.
Back-up power, in hours: your phone and your alarm are different things
Three more things help in a power cut. Call 105, the free number for power cuts in England, Scotland and Wales, which puts you through to your local electricity network. Join the Priority Services Register, which is free. Your electricity network and your energy supplier each keep their own list, as Ofgem explains, so sign up with both. 105 will tell you which network covers your home; across the Midlands it's National Grid Electricity Distribution. And keep a mobile phone charged by the bed.
Do I need broadband to keep my landline?
Direct answer: Not with BT. BT moves customers with a landline and no broadband to a dedicated landline service at the exchange, with no new equipment, usually no engineer visit, and the same number.
That suits a lot of people like Margaret, who use the phone mainly for family calls and the alarm. BT says you don't have to take broadband, and that phones which work in a power cut today will keep doing so. Other providers set their own approach, so read your letter, and if anything's unclear, ring the number on it. TalkTalk, for example, now says the old-network closure no longer affects its customers.
What if nothing's done by the deadline? Openreach says lines that haven't moved may be transferred to EVAc, a temporary, voice-only emergency service with fewer features, for a limited time. It's a safety net, not a plan, so it's much better to sort the switch before then.
What happens on the day of the switch?
Direct answer: For most people it's a small job: the phone plugs into the router, the number stays the same, and you test the alarm once you've moved.
From the letter to switched over, in six steps When the letter arrives Check it's genuine by ringing the number on your bill, not one a caller gives you. Then tell your provider you have a pendant alarm and live alone. Call your alarm provider Give them the date on the letter. Ask whether your unit works on a digital line, or needs a new digital one. Ask for a free back-up If you have a care alarm, no mobile, or no reliable signal at home, ask for a free battery back-up or a hybrid phone, and ask how long it lasts. Let the engineer in With BT, the visit is free, and under Openreach's Prove Telecare the engineer checks the alarm works on the new line before you're moved. On the day Your phone plugs into the router, or into an adapter you're given. Your number stays the same. BT advises dialling the area code for every call. Press the button Test the pendant once you've moved, so the monitoring centre knows it works. Then test it as often as your alarm provider advises.
How do I spot a Digital Voice scam?
Direct answer: Moving to digital is free, so anyone asking you to pay for it, or for your bank details, is a scammer. Hang up and ring the number on your bill.
Criminals know that millions of people are getting letters about their phone line, and older people are often targeted. Genuine providers and alarm services won't ask for payment for the switch or for bank details out of the blue.
Spot a Digital Voice scam: four rules It's free Moving your landline to digital doesn't cost anything. Citizens Advice says anyone asking you to pay for the switch is a scammer. Hang up and ring back If a caller asks for bank details or payment, hang up and ring the number on your bill, from another phone if you can. Forward scam texts Forward a scam text to 7726. It's free, and your mobile network can block the sender (Ofcom). Report it Call Report Fraud on 0300 123 2040 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or Police Scotland on 101.
Could Margaret be paying less for her landline?
Direct answer: Possibly. The switch itself is free, but if she's out of contract or gets Pension Credit, there may be a cheaper deal for the same phone. Check once the alarm is confirmed working.
Ofcom makes providers tell you 10 to 40 days before your contract ends, and remind you of their best deals every year once you're out of contract. If you get Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit), Universal Credit or certain other benefits, BT Home Essentials Call Only costs £10 a month on a 12-month term with no exit fees, as long as the account holder is the person receiving the benefit. Our social tariffs guide lists every other option.
If you do switch, tell the new provider about the alarm on the very first call, so the same protections apply.
Could you be paying less for your landline?
If you get Pension Credit, Universal Credit or certain other benefits, a social tariff could cut the bill.
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What if something goes wrong?
Direct answer: Contact your provider straight away, and your alarm provider too. If it isn't sorted, make a formal complaint, and if that fails you can take it to a free, independent adjudicator.
Write down dates, times and who you spoke to. Our complaints guide explains how to escalate, step by step, and our automatic compensation guide sets out what providers in Ofcom's scheme pay for delayed repairs and missed appointments.
What should I do now?
Today: two phone calls
Tell your phone provider you have a pendant alarm and live alone, and ask your alarm provider whether your unit works on a digital line.
This week: power cut cover
Ask for a free back-up if you have no reliable mobile signal, and join the free Priority Services Register with your electricity network and your energy supplier (Ofgem explains how).
After the switch: check the price
Once the alarm's confirmed working, check whether you're paying more than you need to, and whether you could get a social tariff.
Alarm checked? Now check you're on the right deal
Compare home phone and broadband deals for your exact address, or call us and we'll talk it through.
- ✓Moving to digital itself is free
- ✓You keep your number if you switch
- ✓Tell your new provider about the alarm straight away
In summary
- Your pendant alarm can keep working, but it must be checked on the new line before you're moved, so tell your phone provider and your alarm provider first.
- You keep your phone number, and moving to digital is free.
- A digital home phone needs mains power. If you rely on your landline, ask for a free back-up that lasts at least an hour.
- The router back-up is for calling 999. Your alarm's own battery is a separate question for your alarm provider.
- In Shropshire, council alarms are run by Tunstall: 0345 678 9021.
- Anyone asking you to pay for the switch is a scammer.
Alex's closing thought
If you're reading this for your mum, your dad or the lady next door, here's my honest view. The switch to digital is safer now than it was two years ago, because the rules changed after things went wrong. But every protection depends on one thing: somebody telling the phone company there's an alarm on the line. So make the two phone calls this week, not the week of the switch. Ask for the free back-up even if it feels like a fuss. And once the alarm's working, have a look at what the landline costs. Plenty of people paying for a phone they mainly keep for the alarm could be paying less, and it's always worth knowing. If you'd like a hand, ring us. That's what we're here for.
Keep going: the guides behind this article
The bigger picture
Your number and your rights
Helping someone and saving money
Know someone with a pendant alarm?
Send them this, or print it for them. Two phone calls this week could save a lot of worry.
Cite this page
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Martin-Smith, A. J. (2026, October 20). Landline going digital and you have a pendant alarm? Here's what happens. BroadbandSwitch.uk. https://broadbandswitch.uk/insights/digital-voice-pendant-alarm-what-happens/ In a sentence: BroadbandSwitch.uk's October 2026 guide explains that when a UK landline moves to Digital Voice before the old network closes on 31 January 2027, a pendant alarm can keep working once it is checked on the new line, the phone number stays the same, and a landline-dependent customer is entitled to a free power cut back-up of at least one hour, with Shropshire Council's Tunstall contacts for local readers.
Frequently asked questions
Will my pendant alarm work with Digital Voice?
It can, but it must be checked on the new line first. Older alarms send tones made for copper lines, which can get garbled over the internet. Providers that signed the government's PSTN Charter have promised not to move anyone with a telecare alarm until a working solution is confirmed.
Who should I tell about my pendant alarm?
Tell your phone provider and your alarm provider as soon as the letter arrives. BT and EE customers can call the telecare line on 0800 077 8813. In Shropshire, council alarms are run by Tunstall Healthcare: call 0345 678 9021 or email shropshiretelecare@shropshire.gov.uk.
Do I keep my phone number when my landline goes digital?
Yes. Ofcom confirms you keep your phone number when your landline moves to a digital service. If you change provider at the same time, your new provider can bring the number across through One Touch Switch.
What happens to a digital landline in a power cut?
A phone plugged into the router stops working in a power cut unless the router has a battery back-up, because the old line's power came from the exchange. Keep a mobile phone charged: if your own network is down, 999 calls go through another network, free.
Can I get a free battery back-up for my phone?
Yes, if you rely on your landline, for example because you have no mobile phone, no reliable signal at home, or a telecare alarm. Ofcom's rules say providers must offer at-risk customers a free back-up lasting at least an hour, and some last up to seven hours.
Does my pendant alarm work in a power cut?
It depends on the unit. A digital alarm hub with its own SIM, like Tunstall's Lifeline Digital, runs on its own battery, rated up to 72 hours on standby when new. An older alarm that uses the router needs the router to have power. Ask your alarm provider how long yours lasts.
Do I need broadband to keep my landline?
Not with BT. BT says customers with a landline and no broadband keep their number, need no new equipment and don't have to take broadband: BT does the upgrade remotely, and an engineer usually doesn't need to visit. Other providers set their own approach, so check your letter.
Will it cost anything to move to Digital Voice?
No. Moving your landline to digital is free, and Citizens Advice says anyone asking you to pay for the switch is a scammer. Charges for your alarm service itself, such as Shropshire Council's weekly fee, are separate.
Can I stay on the old phone line?
Not for good: the old network closes on 31 January 2027. But if you tell your provider about your alarm in advance, Ofcom says the change can be paused until a safe solution is in place. Lines not moved by the deadline may be put on a temporary, voice-only emergency service called EVAc, which isn't meant as a long-term answer.
Who provides pendant alarms in Shropshire?
Shropshire Council's community alarm service is run by Tunstall Healthcare. Call 0345 678 9021 for an assessment, or email shropshiretelecare@shropshire.gov.uk about faults. For services started after 1 June 2026, it costs £35 to install and £3.45 a week.
How do I report a Digital Voice scam?
Hang up, then forward any scam text to 7726, which is free. Report fraud to Report Fraud on 0300 123 2040 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or to Police Scotland on 101. Report Fraud replaced Action Fraud in December 2025.
Can I get a cheaper landline if I'm on Pension Credit?
Possibly. If you get Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit), Universal Credit or certain other benefits, BT Home Essentials Call Only costs £10 a month on a 12-month term with no exit fees, and the account holder must be the person receiving the benefit. Our social tariffs guide lists the other options.
References
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Written by Dr Alex J. Martin-Smith, Founder (LinkedIn). Reviewed by Adrian James, Broadband Editor at BroadbandSwitch.uk (LinkedIn). Published 20 October 2026. Margaret is an illustrative example built from the questions people bring us, not a real customer. BroadbandSwitch.uk is an independent comparison site and is not a phone, broadband or telecare provider. Contact details and charges were checked on each organisation's own pages on the date shown and can change. This is general information, not advice about your own alarm, so always check with your alarm provider. Corrections are logged publicly.