31 January 2027 Deadline

The UK is switching off analogue landlines. Is your personal alarm ready?

The copper telephone network that millions of personal alarms depend on is being permanently retired. Holden Grange alarms — our Smart Safety Watch and SOS Pendant — use 4G and are completely unaffected.

Find a 4G Alarm Call 01704 332840
2m
UK telecare users affected
3.2m
Still on PSTN as of mid-2025
+45%
Rise in PSTN faults in 2024
What's Changing

The UK's analogue phone network is being permanently retired

The Public Switched Telephone Network — the copper infrastructure behind traditional landlines for over a century — is being replaced with digital services. Openreach has confirmed the 31 January 2027 switch-off date is locked in. The House of Commons Library confirmed in April 2026 that no further extensions are planned.

Any device that dials out over an analogue line will stop working. That includes most personal alarms, telecare base units, and pendant alarms installed before 2020. The network is already degrading — Ofcom reported a 45% increase in significant PSTN resilience incidents in 2024, and the stop-sell now covers 1,281 exchanges serving 12.5 million premises.

BT announces plan to retire the PSTN
National stop-sell — no new analogue lines can be ordered
Mass migration begins; PSTN users fall from 5.2m to 3.2m in 12 months
Government publishes Telecare National Action Plan to protect vulnerable users
BT & Virgin Media launch national awareness campaign urging telecare users to act
Stop-sell covers 1,281 exchanges and 12.5 million premises
Full PSTN switch-off — all remaining analogue lines permanently decommissioned

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The Risk

Your alarm looks fine. It just won't call anyone.

A disconnected landline alarm gives no warning. The pendant still lights up. The base unit stays on. But when the SOS button is pressed, the call silently fails. There have already been documented cases of vulnerable people pressing their alarm during a fall and receiving no response because their local exchange had been migrated to digital.

This is the most dangerous part

Families believe their loved one is protected when the alarm can no longer reach anyone. The device gives no visual or audible indication that the network behind it has been disconnected. It simply fails silently in the moment it's needed most.

Plugging an old alarm into a digital router via an adapter is not a reliable fix. The government's Telecare National Action Plan warns that VoIP adapters depend on broadband and mains electricity — meaning the alarm fails during a power cut or internet outage. BT has also confirmed its Digital Voice Adapter has not been tested for use with telecare alarms and will not work in a power cut.

Side by Side

Landline alarm vs Holden Grange 4G

Feature Landline Alarm Holden Grange 4G
Survives switchover No — stops working Unaffected
Needs a landline Yes No
Needs broadband No (uses PSTN) No (uses 4G)
Works in power cuts Often fails Battery backup
Works outside the home No Anywhere with 4G
GPS tracking No Real-time
Automatic fall detection Rarely Yes — both devices
Two-way voice No Speak through device
Future-proof No 4G expanding into 2030s
How We're Different

Every Holden Grange alarm runs on 4G. No landline. No broadband. No switchover risk.

We built exclusively on mobile technology from the start. Every device has its own built-in SIM card and connects directly to our 24/7 UK monitoring centre over the 4G network. The digital switchover does not affect our customers. We offer two devices — both 4G, both with fall detection, GPS tracking, and two-way voice as standard.

Smart Safety Watch — looks like a normal watch. Fall detection, GPS, two-way voice, heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen (SpO2), medication reminders. IP67 waterproof. Up to 72-hour battery.

SOS Pendant — one large button, designed for arthritic hands. Fall detection, GPS, two-way voice. Just 43g. IP67 waterproof, shower safe. Multi-day 720mAh battery. Lanyard and wrist strap included.

Built-in 4G SIM

Pre-installed. Works out of the box.

GPS tracking

Locates your loved one anywhere in the UK.

Automatic fall detection

Alerts our team even if they can't press the button.

Two-way voice

Operator speaks directly through the device.

Our monitoring centre is TSA accredited, TEC QSF certified, and answers 99% of alarm calls within 60 seconds. When an alert comes in, a trained operator speaks directly through the device, assesses the situation, and arranges the appropriate response.

Next Steps

What to do if you have a landline alarm

1

Check your current alarm

Does it plug into a telephone wall socket? If yes, it relies on the PSTN and will be affected.

2

Take our 60-second quiz

We'll recommend the right 4G device for your loved one's needs.

3

Start a 30-day trial

Free next-day delivery. No upfront device cost. Cancel anytime.

Council-supplied alarm? Contact your local authority about their upgrade plans — but you don't have to wait. You can switch to a private 4G alarm at any time.
FAQ

Common questions

Yes. Any alarm relying on the PSTN will stop working when your local exchange is decommissioned. Openreach has confirmed the 31 January 2027 date is locked in with no further extensions planned.
Some providers offer VoIP adapters, but the government's Telecare National Action Plan warns this is unreliable. VoIP depends on broadband and mains power — your alarm fails during a power cut or internet outage. BT's own Digital Voice Adapter has not been tested with telecare alarms.
From £25.99/month or £261.88/year (excluding VAT). The annual plan saves £50. Includes the device, 24/7 UK monitoring, GPS, fall detection, and SIM card. No upfront device cost on monthly plans. No contract. 30-day trial before your first payment.
No. Charge it, put it on, press SOS to test. No base unit, no telephone socket, no engineer visit. Works straight out of the box with free next-day delivery.
No. 4G is being expanded, not retired. 5G rolls out alongside it, not as a replacement. 4G is expected to remain operational well into the 2030s.
Nothing at all. Your device uses 4G and is completely unaffected by the switchover.
Yes. Your number and phone service continue — they'll just be delivered digitally through your broadband router. But any device that relied on the analogue PSTN signal, like a traditional alarm, needs replacing.

Don't wait for the switch-off.

30-day trial. Free next-day delivery. No upfront device cost.

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