Clinton Rogers: This 'technological advance' could threaten our safety and security

Yahoo

3 days ago

I'M not against technology – let's get that out there straight away. I spent many years adapting to multiple changes in my career with the BBC, writes Clinton Rogers.
But I am concerned about one 'technological advance' which, in my opinion, threatens our safety and security.
I'm talking about the mad dash to turn off everyone's traditional telephone and replace it with a digital phone service, which I'm told is called 'Digital Voice'.
It happened in our house a few weeks ago. I didn't ask for it, I didn't want it, but I had no say in the matter. The old copper phone lines are too expensive to maintain – digital is the future, I was bluntly informed.
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But as if to reinforce my concerns, just a day after the switch, we had a power cut in our village. And, guess what? The phone didn't work. The old one would have done.
Yes, I can hear plenty of people saying: 'Use your mobile'! But that presumes I have one and it also presumes there's a good enough signal where I live.
I know there are people working within emergency planning services who share my concerns, especially when it comes to the elderly and vulnerable. I think they should make their views known more conspicuously.
And there are technical problems coming to light already; answerphones that won't work after the digital switch and, more worryingly, vital telecare services for the elderly, services that provide a crucial safety net for vulnerable people living alone, that aren't compatible.
Traditional landlines don't rely on batteries or broadband. They don't suffer from network congestion or power cuts. In blackouts, when mobile towers can falter and Wi-Fi routers blink out, it's the humble corded phone that often still works – hardwired and dependable. Emergency services have long trusted this infrastructure, and for good reason. It delivers.
Then there's the question of trust. Digital networks are vulnerable to outages, to hacking, to simple software glitches. Landlines? Well they are much harder to break. That's not just romanticism, it's fact.
The roll out of this new service is happening in stages across the UK, with the aim of having everyone digitally connected by January 2027. Those who preach the 'digital mantra' will tell you this will deliver clearer calls and 'extra services' (not sure what they are). But is it at a price worth paying?
Of course, the future is digital. But in our rush forward, we mustn't discard what still works, especially when lives may depend on it. Not that I think anyone will be listening.