BT changes mind on 21CN voice upgrade: implications for telecare providers (UK)

Over the last few years telecare manufacturers and installers in the UK have, rightly, been advising their call centre customers that some of their older equipment may not work on the new digital network being rolled out by BT (called BT21CN). Considerable progress has been made in upgrading the broadband element of the network (BT item on progress) but one aspect of particular concern to telecare services, has been the implementation of voice calling over the new network. BT has been piloting this in a small area of South Wales. (BT announcement - two paragraphs down.)

A few weeks ago the Telecare Services Association (TSA), which has been in consultation with BT about this matter, advised its members that "BT has again reconsidered its plans for 21CN voice migration and has now confirmed to the TSA that it has abandoned further mass migration plans...

This means that the plan to migrate a further 275,000 lines in the South Wales area beyond the range of the initial pilot will not take place. Those consumers in the Cardiff area who have already switched to the 21CN network will not be affected by this decision, and they will remain on the 21CN network. …TSA will be having further discussions with BT, and the other major communication providers who have their own Next Generation Network plans, in the next few weeks."

The other telecoms providers referred to include Sky, Talk Talk and Cable and Wireless.

The implications for telecare services of this unexpected development are not clear. According to one industry insider, the main effect may be on telecare service managers who have been using the network upgrade to get more funding to upgrade their own systems. The suspension of BT's 21CN upgrade roll-out may mean that some of the telecare system upgrades may be postponed and the funds spent elsewhere. As a consequence, older systems will remain in the field and will not be able to support the newer devices that are designed to work on the next generation network.

For further background: TSA Conference 2009 workshop on 21CN report.