London’s chief digital officer has raised an alert over the implications for local government services in the future switch-off of the public switched telephone network (PSTN).
Theo Blackwell has produced a briefing paper for local authority officers in the city’s boroughs – seen by UKAuthority – saying the switch-off threatens rising costs in telecare services and could hinder information sharing.
It adds that the Government’s insistence that the change is ‘industry led’ has led to a lack of awareness and confusion among organisations and users of relevant technology.
Telecommunications companies are planning to phase out the use of copper wire based PSTN telephone systems over the next two years, meaning that all services that currently rely on them will need to become fully digital, operating through a fibre based network. Failure to upgrade devices in time will lead to their disconnection.
The paper points out that in London 89% of the city is connected to gigabit-capable networks and 63% of homes now have connectivity to full fibre. But it adds that upgrading devices used in social care, housing, property services and highways will have to be funded through local authority budgets as no financial support is available from central government or industry.
Millions in costs
The Greater London Authority economics team has estimated the overall cost for boroughs at upwards of £31 million, and the most immediate concerns are for social care and legacy services in social housing. There are also worries that internet connected services would be disrupted in the event of any power cuts – which do not affect analogue phone lines.
In addition, communications regulator Ofcom has indicated it is not planning any national awareness campaign, which the paper says creates a gap with the Government’s stance of the switch-off being industry led.
In response, Blackwell and the Connected London team have been working with boroughs and the London Office of Technology and Innovation (LOTI) to spread awareness and promote collaboration between relevant bodies, and to model the financial impact more precisely.
They have also urged the Government to run an awareness campaign, and to establish a central fund – with money from telecommunications companies – to support the expansion of new services.
Lead from the centre
There is also a need for stronger leadership from Whitehall to joined up councils’ efforts to upgrade devices and modernise the technology. This would help to save costs for councils and the NHS, and create more opportunities for innovation, the paper says.
Asked what advice he would give to local authorities in preparing for the switch-off, Blackwell said: “Seek to work with other local authorities to overcome common problems (in London we work with LOTI); include on your risk register, as this is a risk; even if you've travelled far down your roadmap (and many have), be aware that there are hidden costs and complexity in upgrading systems.”
In June of last year the LGA warned of possible disruptions to telecare from the termination of PSTN telephony, and in December sounded a similar alert over the implications to local services in the planned switch-off of 2G and 3G networks in the next decade.
