Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the withdrawal of analogue landline services on public safety, given that Voice over Internet Protocol systems cease to function when households have no access to (a) electricity, (b) Wi‑Fi and (c) mobile connectivity; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that all residents have access to reliable communication channels during emergencies.

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.