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Written question asked by Andrew George (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 12 January 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 14 January 2026. It was answered by Kanishka Narayan (Labour) on Wednesday, 21 January 2026 on behalf of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

Voice over Internet Protocol

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the transition from analogue to digital landline services on public safety, including the availability of digital telephony during power outages.

Answer

The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) often relies on cables in the air that can fail during a storm. In 2024/25 there were over 2,600 major incidents on the PSTN, each affecting 500 or more customers. Further, in a power outage the PSTN would not work for most customers as it requires a corded handset, now only in 2% of UK households. Fibre cables are more resilient and less prone to damage during severe weather events.

The Government is committed to ensuring that any risks from the industry-led migration from the PSTN to Voice over Internet Protocol are mitigated for everyone.

In November 2024, the Government secured additional safeguards from the telecoms industry. These include the provision of free battery back-ups for vulnerable and landline dependent customers to ensure access to emergency services for at least one hour in a power outage. Many communication providers have gone further, providing battery back-ups with 4-7 hours of battery life.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
104627
Session
2024-26
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Power failures Voice over internet protocol
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk