Exeter-based firm becomes first national technology enabled care provider to complete testing on personal alarms ahead of major digital switchover

Exeter-based personal alarm brand Taking.Care has become the country’s first telecare provider to complete full testing of its product range before the planned switchover from analogue to digital telephone networks by 2025.

Taking.Care has worked with Openreach to carry out rigorous stress tests of itspersonal care alarm range, which provide life-saving services for elderly and vulnerable people, to ensure they are compatible with the new all-digital telephone network.

The digital switch brings about major changes to the telecare industry. Traditionally reliant on analogue telephone landlines, the switchover means all new houses are set to be built with a digital-only connection from 2023. And, with change coming, many households have already upgraded, for faster networks and connectivity.

Delivered in a controlled laboratory environment, the alarm testing has been carried out on the UK’s leading telephone providers to ensure maximum longevity of Taking.Care’s telecare equipment following the switchover.

In preparation for the switch, families and older people are being urged to check the compatibility of their personal alarm with their current telecare provider and phone network once they are informed of a digital upgrade to their home phone. The worry is they could be left at risk if their personal alarm is not able to connect digitally to get help in an emergency, according to Steve Gates, Managing Director at Taking.Care.

He said: “As a company, we’ve been preparing for the transition to the digital network for some time now and Taking.Care is the first service provider to have completed this for a range of personal alarms well ahead of the switchover.

“The process has been a massive collaborative effort. And, it’s involved working closely with Openreach, telecoms providers, Ofcom, alarm manufacturers, and the Technology Services Association (the industry body for technology enabled care), to understand the impact of the digital telephone network on this life-saving service.

“It’s been really important to us to proactively respond to the potential impact the digital switchover will have on our customers. We want to provide our customers with the peace of mind that we can supply a range of products that will mitigate the impact of the digital switchover and safeguard them by instantly connecting them to professional help in an emergency.”

John Livermore, ALL IP Industry Engagement Manager at Openreach commented: “Openreach were very pleased to host the Taking.Care team in the Digital Services Test Lab, located at our head office in London. We urge all Telecare Vendors to follow a similar path in testing their existing and planned portfolio in an All IP environment, to ensure that their customers are guided through a smooth transition to IP and that no one loses their connectivity through the migration process.”

Vulnerable customers will need to register with their telephone provider to request battery backup for their telecare equipment to ensure consistent connectivity in the event of a power outage.

In light of the digital switchover, Taking.Care has released a series of guides for consumers on how this may impact them.

Visit the Taking.Care advice hub for more information on how the digital telephone switchover affects personal alarms.