It’s all change for landline users in Powys this spring as telephone providers are moving most landline customers to upgraded services using digital technology between now and 2025.
Customers of BT, EE and Plusnet, will be asked to make the switch to digital this spring BT has said, but if you have any questions about this there will be chances to ask them at a drop-in session due to be held in Brecon in April.
This could include queries about how you would manage to contact the emergency services in the event of a power cut or what to do if you have a telecare device that is connected to a phone line.
A local BT Digital Voice engagement event will be held at Morrisons in Brecon, on Thursday, April 30 between 10am and 4pm.
Other sessions are due to be held in Llandrindod Wells, Newtown and Welshpool in the coming weeks
BT announced its schedule for the upgrade in the autumn. EE and Plusnet are part of the same group of companies.
Some Powys residents will have already moved to a digital landline, if they have upgraded to full fibre broadband, but if not, you should be contacted by your provider before they switch you over.
If you or someone you know depends on their landline or uses a telecare device connected to a phone line such as a pendant, fall detector, or personal lifeline alarm, you should notify the provider of this service so that they can advise on how the switch could affect you.
If you are unsure about how a device in your home or business might be affected, it is recommended you contact the equipment supplier or manufacturer to find out whether it will still work on a digital phone line. Digital landlines cannot carry a power connection so, in the event of a power cut they will not work.
Mobile phones can still be used but if you have no other means of calling the emergency services, your telephone provider should offer a solution to allow calls to be made in an emergency.