Back to Headlines
Consumer affairs
Jun 09, 2026
Analyzed by Llama- 4 Scout 17B 16E Instruct

BT's Digital Voice Switch Leaves Elderly Woman Unable to Receive Calls

AI Summary
A woman's BT phone line was switched to Digital Voice, leaving her unable to receive calls for over two months. Despite numerous complaints, BT struggled to resolve the issue, eventually offering compensation.

The Digital Voice Debacle

A woman's analogue phone service was switched to BT's Digital Voice internet-based service, but the installation went awry, leaving her unable to receive incoming calls for over two months.

The Impact on the Elderly Woman

The woman, who lives alone, relies on her phone for regular check-ins with relatives who arrange medical appointments and in-home help. Her inability to receive calls meant she missed social meetups and was unable to see her friends for weeks.

Attempts to Resolve the Issue

The woman's relatives called BT more than 20 times to report the issue, but the company struggled to resolve it. A technician was eventually dispatched, and the issue was rectified.

Compensation and Resolution

BT offered £10.34 compensation per day for the period her line was not fixed within two working days of the complaint, as per telecoms regulations. An additional goodwill sum was also paid.