UK operator, Virgin Media has been fined £23.8 million by Ofcom after disconnecting vulnerable telecare customers during its programme to migrate users from analogue to digital landlines.
The UK communications regulator found that between August 2022 and December 2023, Virgin Media failed to identify and protect customers relying on telecare alarm systems during the transition from the legacy Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to VoIP (Voice over IP) services.
Systemic identification failures put customers at risk
Ofcom's investigation uncovered systemic failures in Virgin Media's migration process. The operator failed to properly identify and record telecare customers, resulting in gaps in screening procedures that prevented affected users from receiving tailored support.
Virgin Media proceeded to disconnect telecare customers who did not engage with the migration process, rendering their alarm devices inoperable despite being aware of the risks. The disconnections prevented alarm devices from connecting to monitoring centres, placing thousands of vulnerable customers at direct risk of harm, according to Ofcom.
The regulator launched its investigation after Virgin Media reported several serious incidents involving telecare customer migrations in November and December 2023.
Industry-wide PSTN switch-off challenge highlighted
The migration from copper-based PSTN infrastructure to digital landlines is an industry-wide programme driven by the ageing network's declining reliability. Ofcom has emphasised that whilst the transition is necessary for ensuring modern, reliable telephony services, operators across the UK must identify, protect, and support vulnerable customers throughout the process.
Telecare alarm systems require particular care during migration, as they rely on the consistent, reliable signalling of the legacy analogue line; any disruption to connectivity can have material safety implications for users. The fine serves as a stark reminder of the regulatory risks associated with this national infrastructure project.
Penalty reflects severity and cooperation
The £23.8 million fine, which will be remitted to HM Treasury, reflects the vulnerability of affected customers, the duration of the contraventions, and the potential harm caused. Ofcom said the penalty amount also considers Virgin Media's cooperation with the investigation and its admission of failings through a settlement process.
Virgin Media paused telecare migrations in December 2023 and has since updated policies and procedures, introducing additional safeguards to prevent recurrence.
"It's unacceptable that vulnerable customers were put at direct risk of harm and left without appropriate support by Virgin Media, during what should have been a safe and straightforward upgrade to their landline services," said Ian Strawhorne, Ofcom's director of enforcement. "Today's fine makes clear to companies that, if they fail to protect their vulnerable customers, they can expect to face similar enforcement action."
A spokesperson from Virgin Media said in a statement: “While historically the majority of migrations were completed without issue, we recognise that we didn’t get everything right and have since addressed the migration issues identified by Ofcom. Our customers’ safety is always our top priority and, following an end-to-end review which began in 2023, we have already introduced a comprehensive package of improvements and enhanced support for vulnerable customers including improved communications, additional in-home support and extensive post-migration checks, as well as working with the industry and Government on a joint national awareness campaign. We’ve been working closely with Ofcom, telecare providers and local authorities to identify customers requiring additional support and are confident that the processes, policies and procedures we now have in place allow us to safely move customers to digital landlines.”
