if my friend joins Sky can she get a dedicated landline for her alarm.

[tavygrim]

My friend is considering joinig Sky for broadband, landline & TV. She is partially sighted and has an alarm which requires a continually available landline.

[Mark39]

Can you clarify what you mean by a dedicated landline?

New Sky subscribers will almost certainly be provisioned with a digital landline where telephone traffic is carried via the broadband service. This is in line with Openreach's aim to close down the analogue phone network by the end of 2025 for all providers. It means that in the event of a broadband fault, or a power cut, the landline service ceases to work too. There's the additional possibility that your friend's alarm may not be compatible with a digital landline - something she would need to check with the alarm provider.

It used to be possible for customers with specific requirements such as care lines could be provisioned on a standard phone line, but I don't think that's possible any more. It would be best for your friend to speak to Sky to discuss her particular requirements.

[TimmyBGood]

@tavygrim 

As @Mark39 indicates, it's essentially now not possible for ISPs and telcos to provision analogue lines because those aren't available for order at wholesale from telephone exchanges.

https://www.openreach.co.uk/cpportal/products/the-all-ip-programme/stopsell-updates 

The onus is now on customers and their equipment suppliers to transition to products which will function over a digital connection.

[simon194]

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@TimmyBGood wrote:

@tavygrim 

As @Mark39 indicates, it's essentially now not possible for ISPs and telcos to provision analogue lines because those aren't available for order at wholesale from telephone exchanges.

https://www.openreach.co.uk/cpportal/products/the-all-ip-programme/stopsell-updates 

The onus is now on customers and their equipment suppliers to transition to products which will function over a digital connection.

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Any providers of care alarm systems should be able to replace outdated units with new compatible ones. My Mum's care alarm was replace recently with one that connects over the mobile network.

[mormegil]

Of any alarm is being upgraded from a copper line to WiFi or mobile then it is best to make sure that they also update bt999 services to say it has been changed as at present it is not required by the alarm companies until the analogue switch off is complete 

if the don't do this the alarm remains registered on the phone line and number even though no longer connected and openreach are currently cancelling any orders with a care alarm registered or present on it