This topic

Elderly person with no working phone

wtspg121 — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 15:21:58 GMT

Like many others BT convinced my mother to move to digital. With broadband currently not working, she has no working landline or care alarm. We can see that the outage will be at least 4 days but obviously she couldnt see that info. Is there any way of talking to customer services to advise that there is an elderly vulnerable person is need of getting this fixed rather than just regular customers who have other means of contact i.e. mobile phones. I appreciate that this can't be an isolated case but feel helpless other than keep driving over to ensure she hasn't fallen. There appears to be no way of alerting BT to this. Any thoughts from anyone most welcome.

Interestingly on a news release last year they say they wont proactively switch customers over if they fall into these categories

Customers with a healthcare pendant
Customers who are over 70
Customers who only use landlines
Customers with no mobile signal
Customers who have disclosed any additional needs

As this switch was done in 2021 it seems that they are learning that they are not providing good service to the elderly. My Mum fell into 2 of those categories at the time and now uses a healthcare pendant. BT were proactive in the switch.

Re: Elderly person with no working phone

imjolly — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 15:26:39 GMT

this may help

https://www.bt.com/help/here-for-you

https://www.bt.com/content/dam/bt/help/including-you/BT_Free_Priority_Fault_Repair_Scheme.pdf

Re: Elderly person with no working phone

wtspg121 — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 15:41:23 GMT

Thanks for response. I had read all those documents (and more) already.

If person doesn't quality as not disabled and not housebound they drop down a crack as far as BT are concerned, With an aging population BT are just ignoring there needs if no ability to report concerns.

Re: Elderly person with no working phone

Keith_Beddoe — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 15:47:31 GMT

In nearly all cases, if a customer is on copper broadband, and it develops a fault, it will normally be an external network fault, and that will stop the phone from working, whether its on the old analogue system, or BT Digital voice.

A basic Doro mobile phone has an emergency call button on the back, which can be programmed to call a specific phone number, and is a useful backup in an emergency.