As part of wider move to digital landline services, Virgin Media O2 partners with Telecare Cardiff to provide support for vulnerable carer users
Across the UK, communications networks are being upgraded, with decades-old copper phone lines, which can no longer be maintained, are superseded by digital landlines. The rate is likely to increase over coming months. But there has been some concern that this move could interfere with services that depend on phone lines. That includes ‘telecare’ devices such as call-for-help pendants or fall alarms used by many vulnerable people.
Photo by Miryam León / Unsplash
In most cases, making the switch to digital is a simple process for customers, involving nothing more complicated than changing the socket the phone plugs into. But concerns have been raised previously that the people who most depend on such telecare services are likely to need extra help.
To ensure a smooth transition, Telecare Cardiff – which provides services on behalf of Cardiff Council – has partnered with Virgin Media O2 on a new trial to support telecare customers across the region.
The trial is the first of its kind to be tried in Wale but follows a similar, successful partnership last year between Virgin Media O2 and the Stockport-based telecare provider Carecall last year. In that case, 90% of vulnerable customers contacted through the initiative agreed to migration appointments and almost all of them – 96% – were migrated successfully. Indeed, that programme will inform how Virgin Media O2 approaches the new trial in Cardiff.
The company will work with Telecare Cardiff to identify, constant and provide comprehensive support to telecare customers.
Letters, emails and texts will be sent to eligible customers identified through a secure data-sharing agreement (DSA) between the two organisations. Some 10% of the telecare users who will be contacted were unknown to Virgin Media O2 before that data was shared.
The trial is also open to customers of private telecare companies – that is, other than Telecare Cardiff – who have been identified in other ways. Virgin Media O2 welcomes anyone using a telecare device who may need additional support to contact them directly.
Once identified and contacted, in the first instance, Virgin Media O2’s own UK-based customer care agents will arrange switching appointments for these customers. Telecare Cardiff will provide follow up calls where needed.
Telecare Cardiff and advisory body the TEC Services Association will also offer bespoke training sessions for Virgin Media O2 engineers, familiarising them with the organisation’s in-home equipment and how best to support shared customers. Engineers commit to never leaving a customer without a working landline or telecare device and monitoring of the landline service continues after they leave the property.
Virgin Media O2 is keen to work with other local authorities on similar schemes to ensure that vulnerable customers can be identified and supported.
Gareth Lister, Director of Connectivity at Virgin Media O2, says: ‘With our decades-old copper network rapidly reaching end-of-life, it’s essential we move to digital voice so we can continue offering reliable services for years to come in Cardiff and beyond. We know how important it is to get this right for our customers, particularly those who rely on landline services and who use care alarms.
‘Working closely with Telecare Cardiff, we’ve been able to better identify and communicate with our shared customers, offering the on-hand support they need for a smooth migration today, while also giving them the confidence and reassurance they deserve both now and in the future. With the network becoming more fragile day by day, there has never been a more pressing time for all local authorities and telecare providers to step up and play their part. We urge others to follow Cardiff’s lead and sign data sharing agreements to ensure no one is left behind.’
A spokesperson for Telecare Cardiff adds: ‘We’re very pleased to be collaborating with Virgin Media O2 on this trial to support our vulnerable customers through the digital voice migration. Ensuring that our users, especially those relying on telecare devices, experience a seamless transition is our top priority. This partnership is allowing us to provide the necessary support and reassurance for customers as we move towards a more reliable and future-proof digital technology.’
Alyson Scurfield, Chief Executive Officer at TSA, says: ‘Over 2m people in the UK rely on telecare services to lead independent lives and we want to make sure they can still count on their devices after landlines have switched to digital. Following the success of our collaboration with Virgin Media O2 and Carecall in Stockport, we’re now working with Virgin Media O2 and Telecare Cardiff in the Cardiff area. When telecare service providers collaborate with telecoms providers in this way, their customers experience a safe, smooth, speedy digital migration. TSA is also developing guidance, training and quality standards that can be used by other telecare services to support the migration process.’
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