Help BT identify Special Services users

Hi, well we are well into the year now so it’s a good time to update on BT’s all IP plans that will see all voice communications taking place on IP by 2025.

Firstly your UKTelehealthcare people have this morning (19 February) issued an email from BT asking for your help in providing telephone numbers that ARCs receive Telehealth alerts on – the numbers the units dial, not the number of the user.

Why are we asking for this? Well we don’t know at BT who has what equipment connected to their line, but if we can identify Telehealth users we can make sure they are not adversely affected by the switchover to IP and make sure no one is left vulnerable.

Using the ARC numbers we can track which numbers have called these lines over the last 12 months and put a flag on these accounts that will stop all IP being activated in the early part of the programme while we make sure people’s services will continue to work.

So if you have received the email today please do act upon it, it’s really important that we make sure as many people as possible are ready for the changeover when it happens in their area.

By the way, we’ve updated our website recently too. Our Out and About page tells you where we are presenting or attending meetings in the coming year.

And we also have a new page, Who’s Tested, which lists manufacturers and signalling providers  who have been to our labs to test their equipment. It also gives links to each for more information.

Thanks for reading and remember we’re more than happy to answer any questions you may have in this blog – fire away.

Phil