Resources and Advice

Helping you and your loved ones live well in later life

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DIGITAL SWITCHOVER

We've launched our most resilient personal alarms to address the digital switchover

Find what makes our new alarms the most resilient digital personal alarms available.

September 01, 2022

New alarm launched

We've launched our new Digital Personal Alarm and Digital Fall Alarm, the first personal alarm devices to use two multi-network SIMs to help counteract the impact of the digital phone line switchover, due to be completed by 2025. 

Current customers who have a personal alarm that connects to the traditional analogue phone line should retain their analogue line and not be upgraded to a digital one. This is the recommendation after the major telephone providers signed the Government's Public Switched Telephone Network charter.

If you are a Taking Care customer who has already been upgraded to a digital phone line, we recommend you upgrade to a digital personal alarm. Digital personal alarms are unaffected by the switchover because they do not use a telephone landline. Instead, digital personal alarms have a roaming multi-network SIM that will automatically switch to the strongest available mobile network.

In some instances, your analogue personal alarm may work on a digital phone line but this should be considered an interim measure.

 

Supporting independence at home

The Digital Personal Alarm is perfect for customers who don't have a telephone landline or want an in-home personal alarm that is unaffected by the telephone network's digital switchover.

If you are a little unsteady on your feet or worry about how you would get help should you fall when on your own, then the Digital Fall Alarm has all the benefits of an in-home personal alarm and automatically detects when the wearer has fallen.

 

How the Digital Personal Alarm and Digital Fall Alarm are different

The Digital Personal Alarm and Digital Fall Alarm have two multi-network SIM cards that connect to different Core Network Providers. Both SIM cards have 2G and 4G connectivity, so they automatically connect to the strongest available mobile network. In the event of an outage, they switch to a different Core Network provider to provide round the clock connectivity.

In 2022, one of the UK’s biggest Core Network Providers went offline in an unplanned outage. This meant that anyone using a digital personal alarm relying on mobile network connectivity from this single network provider was unable to call for help through their alarm device.

Andrew Ridpath
Head of Customer Experience at Taking Care

Andrew Ridpath, Head of Customer Experience at Taking Care, explains: "We’re constantly evolving and improving our product range so customers have the confidence they can reach our Emergency Resolution Team any time."

"With more and more analogue landlines already being replaced, digital personal alarms are an instrumental way of keeping older people safe and ensuring around the clock connectivity. Most digital alarms rely on a single Core Network Provider, which is why we’ve gone one step further to create a resilient personal alarm product that uses two multi-network SIMs, making it purpose-built to remain operational even in case of a network provider outage."

 

Available to try with a 30-day money back guarantee

The landline-free Digital Personal Alarm and Digital Fall Alarm are both lightweight and can be worn around the neck or wrist. They do not need a telephone landline, and customers can get help in any emergency by pressing one big button on the pendant. The subscription includes 24-hour monitoring from our UK-based Emergency Resolution Team.

New digital alarms

Digital Personal Alarm   Digital Fall Alarm

 

Developed with Chiptech

The Digital Personal Alarm and Digital Fall Alarm have been developed with telecare manufacturer Chiptech, who have over 20 years’ experience in the industry.

 

Helping customers through the digital switchover

This video explains how the digital switchover will affect personal alarm users.


We have also released a series of guides to support customers through the digital switchover:

Independent living products brochure

Learn how personal alarms and home monitoring solutions can keep you or your loved ones safe and independent at home.

Download brochure

Ways to support independent living

Independent living products brochure

Learn how personal alarms and home monitoring solutions can keep you or your loved ones safe and independent at home.

Download brochure