BT accused of ‘bullying’ customers by pausing broadband in digital landline push
Companies race to switch households to ‘voice over internet protocol’ services by the end of January BT has been accused of “bullying” customers by temporarily cutting off their broadband to pressure them to upgrade to a digital landline, as providers race to switch households over before the January deadline. Telecoms companies have so far migrated 16-17m lines from the old copper network to…
BT is facing accusations of "bullying" customers by temporarily cutting off their broadband service to encourage them to switch to digital landlines before a January deadline. The telecoms giant is part of a wider effort to migrate 16-17 million lines from the old copper network to digital voice over internet protocol (VoiP) before the switch-off of the public switched telephone network (PSTN).
Openreach, BT's subsidiary, estimates that around 1.3 million copper-based landlines remain unconverted. Some campaigners allege that BT has threatened customers with internet disconnections if they do not cooperate with the switchover, and fear that vulnerable individuals, such as the elderly and those in rural areas with limited broadband access, may be disproportionately affected.
A spokesperson for BT defended the temporary broadband pause, stating that it was intended to prevent a complete loss of service when the old network is retired. However, campaigners are urging telecoms providers to ensure that no older person is left without a landline if they have not yet switched.
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