The digital switch is already taking place across the UK.
The digital switch refers to the ongoing changes to the UK telecoms network in which fibre lines are being rolled out across the country to replace copper lines.
This means the end of analogue (PSTN and ISDN) telephone services and the transition to fibre optic lines. While this is great news for internet speed, the digital switch will have a huge impact on key safety devices that will no longer be supported, including lift emergency phones.
Read more about the digital switch in our full guide which discusses the transition from analogue to fibre.
Ensure resilience of emergency telephones in lifts
The change from copper to fibre lines will affect the resilience of lift emergency phone lines – particularly during power failures, which is the most likely time when an entrapment may occur. Discover UK’s only pro-actively managed, resilient lift emergency connection service: SENTINEL.
What’s the timeline?
The Digital Switch is currently underway and national stop sell of analogue lines is now in force.
Stop sell essentially means the end to new analogue services, but that’s not all…
…it also means that under the following conditions you’ll get fibre (whether you asked for it or not)!
- Change of communication provider (aka “name on your bill“)
- Working line take over (“lines moving between owners”)
This means you may already have fibre lines supporting your lifts.
Data source: Full Fibre Build Programme locations*