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Virgin Media fined £23.8m over telecare service failures during digital transition
UK communications regulator Ofcom has imposed a £23.8 million penalty on Virgin Media after the company left thousands of vulnerable telecare users without lifesaving emergency alarm access during the shift from analogue to digital landlines.
Regulator finds systemic failures in migration process
An Ofcom investigation revealed that Virgin Media failed to properly identify customers relying on telecare devices-primarily elderly and disabled individuals-during the 2023 digital switchover. The company's approach disconnected users who did not actively engage in the transition, leaving their emergency alarm systems nonfunctional and placing them at "direct risk of harm," according to the regulator.
Telecare systems depend on landline connections to automatically alert emergency services or carers when a user presses an alarm button. Ofcom emphasized that any disruption to these devices could have "material impacts on their safety." The watchdog did not disclose the exact number of affected customers or the duration of the outages.
Virgin Media acknowledges shortcomings, outlines reforms
The telecoms provider self-reported "serious incidents" to Ofcom in November and December 2023, prompting the investigation. While Virgin Media stated that "the majority of migrations" proceeded "without issue," it admitted to failures in the process. The company has since implemented what it describes as a "comprehensive package of improvements," including enhanced communications, in-home support, and post-migration checks for vulnerable users.
"We recognise that we didn't get everything right and have since addressed the migration issues identified by Ofcom. Our customers' safety is always our top priority."
Virgin Media spokesperson
Ofcom issues third-largest penalty in its history
The £23.8 million fine-Ofcom's third-highest to date-reflects the severity of the breach, the prolonged risk to vulnerable users, and the potential for harm. The regulator's enforcement director, Ian Strawhorne, condemned the company's failures, stating:
"It's unacceptable that vulnerable customers were put at direct risk of harm and left without appropriate support by Virgin Media, during what should have been a safe and straightforward upgrade to their landline services."
Ian Strawhorne, Ofcom enforcement director
Strawhorne warned that companies failing to protect vulnerable customers "can expect to face similar enforcement action." The penalty follows Ofcom's £50 million fine against Royal Mail in 2018 and a £42 million fine for BT in 2017.
Industry-wide concerns over digital switchover risks
The fine underscores broader anxieties about the UK's transition from copper-based analogue landlines, which Ofcom describes as "beyond its intended lifespan and increasingly unreliable." The regulator has repeatedly cautioned that telecare users-who rely on stable connections for emergency response-are particularly at risk during the shift to digital infrastructure.
Virgin Media said it is collaborating with industry partners and the government on a national awareness campaign to mitigate future disruptions. The company's reforms include additional safeguards for vulnerable customers, though specifics on the timeline for full implementation remain undisclosed.
