BT cutting off broadband access

outwood1

I found a letter (dated September 2026 so no clue as to when it was sent) at my elderly mum's house threatening to switch off broadband if no one contacted them within the next 5 days to enable the digital switchover. The letter claimed they had rung and sent previous letters (none received).

I was extremely concerned as she has telecare as well as wifi linked cameras in the house to check she's OK. I rang and booked the appointment (at a time to suit them not us), and was told they wouldn't have cut it off, it was just a threat……and lo and behold the next day, no wifi. I thought it was probably a coincidence until a carer tried to reboot the router but failed (one of their tasks every day is to check the router and cameras are working OK). Luckily my brother was going the next day so I just asked them to check the Lifeline worked OK.

And guess what… he discovered, yes they had switched off broadband! I'm just stunned that they can just do that…..

I think had I been away or no family were visiting for a week or so it would really have put my mum at risk as we'd be relying on carers to check she was OK, so a gap of 18 hours between the evening and lunchtime call the next day.

QrizB

I found a letter (dated September 2026 so no clue as to when it was sent) at my elderly mum's house threatening to switch off broadband if no one contacted them within the next 5 days to enable the digital switchover. The letter claimed they had rung and sent previous letters (none received).

Is this an ADSL account or FTTC?

Have you now arranged to complete the digital switchover? If so, when is it going to happen?

I'm just stunned that they can just do that…..

They say they rang and wrote previously. Do you have any call screening on the line?

Does your mum receive a paper bill or is it all on-line?

MattMattMattUK

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6685404/bt-cutting-off-broadband-access

If there was supposed to be a question and it was "are they allowed to do this", then the answers is yes as long as they have send the letters (note, sent, no guarantee of delivery, there would also have been emails to the account holder), over the correct period.

The digital switchover is happening area by area, the old equipment in the exchanges and cabinets is being discontinued by OpenReach. BT have no ability to stop or delay that process.

JSmithy45AD

Did you advise them previously that your mother was at risk?

iniltous

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2026/09/bt-reveals-95-percent-of-uk-customers-have-switched-to-digital-voice.html

iniltous

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2026/09/bt-reveals-95-percent-of-uk-customers-have-switched-to-digital-voice.html

outwood1

Yes they knew she was vulnerable, original letter months ago acknowledged that.

As she's 90+ and living with Alzheimer’s emails haven't been used for some years. So they must have many records of no reply to emails.

All paper bills. And yes I do see them and check them. No idea but its an old connection.

No call screening on phone but despite her condition my mum is v aware of phishing calls and always rings me to ask me to check the bank account after one. I think if they'd asked for physical access she'd have referred them on to my brother or I. And also odd that during the day they never rang when family, friends or carers were there. Sorry cynical I know but maybe 1 email/ 1 call and a lost letter is all they need?

I guess it was a "can they do that" question, and seemingly they can (scary) but also to flag to anyone who relies on tech to care for someone remotely, we're increasingly being sold this as an option.

littleboo

So if the voice service has continued and the broadband has stopped, its either the process linked to by Iniltous or an unrelated co-incidence. If its the former, they should be able re-activate it quickly. What did BT say about restoring service?

Has the Telecare provider confirmed their equipment is compatible with Digital Voice?

Grumpy_chap

OP's Mum is >90 yo and living with Alzheimer’s.

OP found a letter dated September 2026 but no more than that as to when it was sent / received. The letter indicated that the service would be disconnected within 5 days.

The letter claimed they had rung and sent previous letters (none received).

How does the OP know that the previous letters / calls were not received? Given the latest letter with the 5-day ultimatum was received and not acted upon by Mother, what other communications have been received and not acted upon?

Maybe not just BT, but any other companies.

Perhaps this episode needs to be a prompt for a discussion with Mum about how much she can manage her own domestic admin and whether she needs to divert mail to a trusted relative (maybe the OP) to ensure that daily domestic admin is properly actioned going forwards. Has Mum set up any PoA?

iniltous

Although it’s unfortunate (plenty of disgruntled BT customers on the BT Community forum about this ) as the article describes, many simply ignore the previous communications , it’s remarkable how many say they never received anything when it’s invariably a relative posting the complaint, but consider the alternative, happy in the ignorance of the telephone switch off coming their way in Jan2027 , they are moved from PSTN with broadband ( or PSTN only not everyone has broadband ) but everyone needs to be off PSTN ) and moved to PDPL or EVAc so no broadband as the maintenance of the telephone service is the priority, so they get a rudimentary telephone service or an Emergency Voice access line (so 999 calls only ) that may or may not support any ‘Telecare’ system the customer may have on the line ……this has been decades in the making , the Telecare providers cannot claim they didn’t know about this , customers with separate broadband from a different company and BT telephone need to act , that’s what this interruption was to focus minds about .

The article stated that 80% of customers that had previously ignored any previous communications were suitably motivated by this ‘threat’ to act do something about it .

It’s clearly unsettling, especially if many of these type of customers are elderly , uninformed or infirm in some way , and are threatened by change , but the alternative is worse , just cut them off in January and give a basic telephone service in its place , in the circumstances I don’t really know what these customers (or more accurately their relatives) expect if no one has previously done anything about this matter .

flaneurs_lobster

Article in today's Guardian covering the same subject

BT accused of ‘bullying’ customers by pausing broadband in digital landline push