Important update regarding your personal alarm

We wanted to let you know about upcoming changes to the UK mobile network that will affect your current personal alarm, and to explain the options available to you.

As you know your alarm uses the 3G mobile phone network to communicate with Taking Care in the event that you press your pendant, either to test or following a fall. This is the way that we can speak to you via your pendant when you are out and about and locate you in the event of a fall.

What’s happening

As part of a nationwide change led by Ofcom, UK mobile operators are switching off the  3G mobile phone network at the end of the year to support newer and more reliable 4G and 5G services.

What this means for your in-home (white) alarm:

The research that we have undertaken shows that your current alarm unit will be able to successfully connect to the 2G network, which is continuing to be provided once the 3G network is turned off at the end of the year.

It will continue to work for now on the 2G network, but please be aware:

• If the 2G network becomes unavailable in your area, your device may stop working as it will not have any other mobile phone network to connect to. In the event that this happens your alarm will give you a clear audible alert that it can no longer connect to the mobile phone network, so will know. However, please remember to test your device regularly as an extra precaution.
  
  

What this means for your GO Pendant (pear-shaped pendant):

As a result, from 30th November, the 3G connection your device uses outside the home will no longer be available. This means:

• Your in-home (white) alarm unit and Pearl pendant (small white pendant) will continue to work as normal inside your home.
• However, your large GO pendant (pear-shaped pendant) will no longer work – you can dispose of this in your normal electrical waste.
  
  

Your options:

Option 1 – Continue with the GO out-and-about service by upgrading to a modern 4G-enabled device, which uses the 4G network, to continue your current coverage, this will also include an upgrading your alarm unit . We can upgrade you to a 4Gdevice for a one-time fee of £25.

To request your upgrade, please complete the form here: https://taking.care/pages/customer-upgrade-to-4g

Option 2 – Keep using your current device in home only

If you're happy to continue using your device at home only and rely on a single 2G network, you don’t need to do anything. We will automatically reduce your monthly monitoring fee to £20.99 starting from 1st December to reflect the change in service.

If you have any questions or need help with the switch, please call our customer services team on 0800 0121 321 or email us enquiries@taking.care who will be able to help you, quoting 004.