OnePerspective: How the shift from analogue to digital telephone services affects telecare provisioning

June 10, 2021 | by

TTA has an open invitation to industry leaders to provide a personal perspective on issues of importance to readers. This week, Charlotte Rathbone, Product Account Manager for CareUnity Digital, Chubb, examines the ongoing transformation of the UK telecommunications industry and how the shift to digital technology will affect telecare provision.

Interested contributors should contact Editor Donna. (Pictures and graphs/infographics are welcome)

According to the Technology Services Association (TSA), the representative body for technology-enabled care, more than 1.8 million vulnerable people* rely on telecare in the UK. In most cases, telecare consists of a care alarm in a person’s home, which when triggered by pressing a button or an automated sensor, sends data via the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to a monitoring centre, where an operator will give advice or seek help.

The UK telecommunications industry however is undergoing rapid change. By 2025* all analogue telephone services across the UK will be switched off as infrastructure is upgraded to digital connectivity. This approaching switch highlights the need for dedicated digital telecare solutions. 

So how will this affect telecare services in the UK?
As early as 2023*, British Telecom (BT) customers may not be able to buy an analogue phone line. Instead, BT will move its customers to a digital Internet Protocol network in readiness for the shutdown of traditional telephone lines in 2025. It’s then that we’ll see the PSTN and all Integrated Services Digital Network lines switched off. These lines are currently used by many telecare services to feed alarm data into their monitoring centres.

While the digital migration is underway, analogue telecare alarm services are reporting a rise in the number of failed alarm call attempts – with one service provider reporting a failure rate of 11.5% for the first alarm attempt*. This is concerning.

Another concern is failed care alarms through loss of power. When analogue alarms run on a digital network, they require a router to be plugged in at home. In the event of a power failure, this router will stop working, so if a vulnerable person triggered their alarm, it would duly fail.

It’s little surprise that telecommunication providers and Ofcom are all recommending a shift away from traditional analogue devices to digital devices to ensure consistency of access to care*. Some countries including Sweden are ahead of the curve when it comes to switching to digital. More than 95% of Swedish digital alarm installations now use mobile network connections*. There is some way to go in the UK.

Currently, there are approximately 1.6 million analogue telecare devices** across the UK that need to be changed to digital-dispersed alarm units so it’s going to be a gradual process. There are, however, benefits for telecare service providers that make the change sooner rather than later. 

Why switch now?
As we approach the switchover date, the time to replace analogue units in the field reduces. This will likely result in significant resource pressures for customers to complete the transition; by switching early, this can be completely avoided.

References
*TSA, 10 Facts about Analogue to Digital: How it will affect telecare.   ** TSA survey of service provider members, May 2021.

Hat tip to Kathryn Ranger of PRG Marketing Communications

Over £15,000 for Dementia Dog in memory of Tynetec’s Billy and Lisa Graham (UK) (updated)

December 5, 2016 | by

Updated Tynetec has announced via Twitter that the £15,000 goal has been exceeded for Dementia Dog. Thanks to our Readers who donated on our 9 Nov article and retweets, Tynetec and all donors!

Local fundraisers in Perthshire have raised £11,000 (as of 5 Dec, £15,000) for dementia assistance dogs in memory of Billy and Lisa Graham, who while on holiday were tragically killed in the June 2015 Tunisia beach shooting. As Editor Charles wrote then, “Billy was well loved and respected in the industry, working in Scotland as Business Development Manager for Tynetec, and previously with Chubb. As such, even if readers did not know him personally, there is a high probability that they will have attended many conferences and exhibitions where he was also present.”

The beneficiary is Dementia Dog, which funds specially trained dogs to help and support people living with dementia in their activities of daily living, such as taking their medicine. Former colleagues and friends of the Grahams helped to raise the money as a permanent tribute to the couple by combining two things close to them–to help those with dementia and their love of dogs. The fundraising site is open to all and located on JustGiving, with all donations going to Alzheimer Scotland. A worthy cause indeed and a lovely way to remember the Grahams. More information and the story behind the fundraisers is in the Scottish Daily Record. Hat tip to Tynetec on Twitter; Tynetec has been a long time supporter of this publication.

Chubb® Care System announced

December 13, 2015 | by

Telehealth & Telecare Aware does not often find itself parroting big company press releases. However we are making an exception for Chubb which some have portrayed as the weakest of the ‘big three’ telecare equipment & service providers. It’s therefore nice to see the launch of their Chubb® Care System, announced on 11 December, described as “an enhanced assisted living solution that uses industry-leading, easy-to-use technology to protect individuals in the comfort of their home.”

The Chubb Care System is claimed to enable residents of sheltered and extra care housing to communicate quickly, clearly and securely with on-site and remote staff, as well as off-site monitoring centres.

The housing management portal included within the system is apparently accessible to estate and housing managers through a smartphone, PC or tablet. This enables them to view, add and edit resident call history, telecare and telehealth information, as well as video and speech capabilities.

One of the major benefits claimed (more…)

TSA’s International Technology Enabled Care Conference (Wales)

November 6, 2015 | by
[grow_thumb image=”https://telecareaware.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/TSA-Event-Site-03_031.png” thumb_width=”150″ /]16-17 November, Celtic Manor Resort Hotel, Newport, South Wales

This Editor notes that the Telecare Services Association will be ‘Inspiring Change and Progress’ in its second annual International TEC conference at the Celtic Manor. The website mentions a host of high profile speakers to give the ‘need to know’ sector picture, with a two day programme packed with stimulating presentations, challenging debates, informative parallel sessions that will include masterclasses and interactive workshops. More information and registration. Chubb Community Care has noted to us that it’s Europe’s largest TEC conference. They will also be featuring at the conference their jewelry-like alert pendant, Onyx, was developed by CAIR of West Yorkshire. It’s also fitted to work with Chubb’s new Care System and CareUnity® assisted living solutions

Chubb also will exhibit its new Chubb Care System, an assisted living solution where Chubb is a single-service provider for installation, service and monitoring, tailoring system features and functionality to the specific requirements of residents. They are at Booth 19.

Billy & Lisa Graham, killed in Tunisia last Friday

June 30, 2015 | by | 1 Comment

So often when you read of dreadful things happening, it is easy to make light because there is no personal connection.

It is therefore with particular sadness that we have to report the untimely deaths of both Billy Graham and his wife Lisa in the shooting in Tunisia last Friday.

Billy was well loved and respected in the industry, working in Scotland as Business Development Manager for Tynetec, and previously with Chubb. As such, even if readers did not know him personally, there is a high probability that they will have attended many conferences and exhibitions where he was also present.

Telehealth & Telecare Aware sends our deepest condolences to the Graham family and friends.

Redesigning PERS artistically in Glasgow: the winners

April 24, 2014 | by

Following up on our 28 March story of Chubb Community Care sponsoring a competition at the Glasgow School of Arts to redesign the traditional telecare medical alarm (PERS), the five winning entrants and teams were announced today (23 April). They are:

Element: Craig Meakin, Kayleigh Nelson, Eilidh Gibson and Ramsay Black
Pebbl: Gordon Ritchie, Francesca Stephens, Jordan Smith, Erin Wallace and Heather Walker
Bodyguard: Steven McCauley, Harry Hutton, Kim Stendahl, Matias Rinne and Andrew Robertson
Lumeo: Nadia Bassiri, Robert Turner, Harry Opoku Agyeman, Helen Campbell and Jonathan Thomson
Suit: Michael Tougher, Hannah Kirkbride, Euan Spalding and Tristan Stoner

The winning teams will share a £2,500 cash prize, and their designs were publicly presented at Municipal Buildings in Forres, Moray in the north of Scotland. The Glasgow Arts teams worked with Moray residents who currently use PERS and their carers to determine design and functionality factors. According to the release, Chubb is using the designs to complement the work of its own engineering teams, and thus at this point the concepts are still under wraps. We hope these concepts gain wider exposure. Release link to come.

Redesigning PERS artistically in Glasgow

March 28, 2014 | by

Students at the Glasgow (Scotland) School of Arts are participating in a redesign of the traditional medical alarm (PERS)–the ubiquitous (among the old-old) neck or wrist-worn pendant. Sponsored by Chubb Community Care (part of Chubb Fire & Security in the UK, not the insurance company), the challenge is to design a pendant/watch from the user/carer/professional point of view on design and functionality. There are currently five groups competing for a £250 first prize plus second and third prizes. We understand from Chubb that the prizes will be awarded shortly and this Editor will bring you the results. How far afield will the teams will go? We hope as far as they can!  Chubb release