BT paused broadband for some customers who did not respond to digital landline notices.
Why it matters: The episode highlights the risks of moving UK customers from traditional phone lines to digital voice. It also raises questions about how providers protect vulnerable customers while managing the switch.
- BT reportedly gave affected customers five days’ notice and asked them to contact the company.
- BT said the customers had ignored repeated communications over two years; it has not disclosed how many were affected.
- The Guardian reported that about 1.3 million copper-based landlines remained to be migrated on October 3, 2026.
- Ofcom fined Virgin Media £23.8 million in December 2025 after about 3,500 known telecare customers were disconnected.
BT temporarily paused broadband for a small group of customers who had not responded to communications about moving from traditional analogue landlines to digital voice, according to The Guardian. Digital voice carries calls over a broadband connection.
The Guardian reported that affected customers received five days’ notice and were asked to contact BT to avoid the interruption. BT said the customers had ignored repeated communications over two years. BT has not disclosed how many customers were affected.
BT told The Guardian that landline and mobile services remained operational during the broadband pause. The report did not specify whether that statement applied to every affected customer or described service availability generally. It also did not establish that anyone lost access to telecare equipment, emergency services or other safety-critical services.
Telecare includes equipment such as alarms that relies on a phone line. Ofcom requires providers to identify and support vulnerable customers and offer a free backup solution to qualifying customers who need a landline to contact emergency services during a power cut. The regulator’s guidance on the future of landline calls says digital landline users generally connect their handset to a broadband router rather than directly to a wall socket.
BT plans to retire its analogue network by January 31, 2027, according to The Guardian. The report said about 1.3 million copper-based landlines remained to be migrated on October 3, 2026.
The regulatory precedent is a December 2025 £23.8 million Ofcom fine against Virgin Media. Ofcom found migration failures that put vulnerable customers at potential risk of harm, including about 3,500 known telecare customers who were disconnected. That case concerned Virgin Media and is not evidence that BT committed the same breach.
By the numbers
- 5 days - Notice reportedly given to BT customers before broadband was paused
- 1.3 million - Copper-based landlines The Guardian reported remained to be migrated on October 3, 2026
- £23.8 million - Ofcom fine against Virgin Media in December 2025 over migration failures that put vulnerable customers at potential risk of harm
Yes, but: BT has not disclosed the number of affected customers, and the available reporting does not establish that any customer lost landline, mobile, emergency or telecare access.
What's next: BT plans to retire its analogue network by January 31, 2027.