Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her department has made of the potential impact of homecare telecommunications in the event of a power cut.

The Government is committed to ensuring that any risks from the industry-led migration from the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) are mitigated for everyone. Over 95% of customers have already been migrated.

In November 2024 and March 2026, the Government secured additional safeguards from the telecoms industry. These include the provision of free battery back-ups for vulnerable customers, including telecare users, to ensure access to emergency services for at least one hour in a power outage. Many communication providers have gone further, providing battery back-ups with 4-7 hours of battery life.