A Call for Digital Innovation

The negative impact of the impending deactivation of Virgin Media O2’s 3G network during 2025 is going to be significantly increased for users of telecare devices that use this band by the additional confirmation that VMO2 is also going to restrict “Inbound Roaming” on their 2G Network (CLICK HERE).   

In short, telecare devices that are built to utilise “Roaming SIM’s” from 3rd party providers that operate on either the 2G/3G Networks will suddenly find their services become unavailable if they are in an area where using the VMO2 Network is their only option.  In fact, VMO2’s advice on the issue is, “Businesses should contact their connectivity provider to ensure any machines and applications that may use roaming to connect to our network, even occasionally, are upgraded to 4G / 5G or to find alternate ways to connect before October 2025.” 

Coupled with the overall effect of the general 3G switch off, this represents a sudden milestone in the UK’s digital evolution but also a looming crisis for telecare services that rely on this legacy technology.  

For example, we have been reliably informed that there are c50,000 connected telecare devices in Scotland alone that were bought in the last 2/3yrs that rely solely on this connectivity. According to the TSA, there are an estimated 700,000 digital TEC devices in the UK, of which c500,000 are reliant entirely on 2G networks! 

The fact is that the impact of this decision will similarly be felt across the whole of Great Britain. Telecare providers, especially in the public sector, already face daunting financial and logistical challenges to ensure continuity of these vital services. Now, they are going to be faced with the massive challenge of replacing/upgrading equipment that has only recently been purchased. 

With this in mind, it would be fair to ask the question why manufacturers continue to sell this type of equipment and industry “advisors” nor “advise” against it when they were all fully aware of the potential risks, especially with the Government first announcing that they had reached agreement on the upcoming 2G/3G Switch off back in December 2021 (CLICK HERE)?  However, these are questions for those impacted most to ask and discuss and on another day. 

What is most important now is that we look at how best to solve the issue. 

Firstly, it is especially important that the industry uses what influence it has to lobby hard to have this decision revoked or delayed.  

However, given that VMO2 have stated that the closure of its 3G network and its knock-on impact on “smart-metering” as the main reason for restricting access to 2G networks suggests clearly that something is going to have to suffer.  

Considering their huge commercial UK Contract to supply smart-metering connectivity, you must wonder where exactly that “suffering” is going to occur, so how successful will that lobbying be? 

Regardless of any lobbying, which cannot and must not be relied upon, manufacturers have a responsibility to stop selling this type of equipment IMMEDIATELY and buyers MUST stop buying it. 

Finally, manufacturers of traditional “button and box” type solutions must make the investments necessary to ensure their equipment is as “future proof” as possible, ensuring testing and roll-out of new, digital technologies such as VoLTE, SIP, and other connectivity options such as ethernet broadband, Wi-Fi etc. are all completed ASAP. 

There is clearly a great deal to do and very little time to do it in. Especially with the “double whammy” of the Analogue to Digital switch only 2 years away – Imagine if that had not been delayed!!! 

However, they say, “Every cloud has a silver lining” and with that in mind, I believe this crisis could catalyze a much-needed transformation to fully digital solutions like Yorbl, which offer not just compatibility with modern networks but a host of other benefits. 

Why the Stakes Are So High 

Telecare devices provide a lifeline for vulnerable individuals, enabling them to live independently while ensuring their safety. These devices rely on uninterrupted connectivity to function. A disruption in service could put lives at risk and undermine trust in public care systems.  The phased removal of 2G/3G by all UK mobile operators creates an urgent need for providers to act decisively NOW. 

The Scale of the Problem 

Virgin Media O2’s announcement states that less than 1% of its customers use 2G-only devices and these account for a negligible portion of its data traffic. Yet, the removal of this network is seismic for telecare providers.  

Transitioning away from 2G/3G (and Analogue) means not just the significant cost of replacing unsuitable hardware but also incurring the costs of installing the new equipment, integration, and staff training. With c1.8 million connected devices in the UK and c80% of which are still analogue, the size of the problem is already huge.  

Add to that the fact that all public sector providers are already operating on an extremely tight budget, these unavoidable costs (which will run into tens of millions of pounds) will have a devastating impact on public services that are already under massive strain? 

A New Approach: Digital Solutions 

But what if there was a genuine way to significantly reduce these costs? A viable, alternative approach that could save millions and position telecare for a genuinely digitally driven future? 

We believe there already is. 

By transitioning to a genuinely digital, app-based solution such as Yorbl’s, ALL these hugely significant benefits can be achieved. For example: – 

• Remove the cost of replacement equipment  

With between c78%-85%  of people aged 55+ in the UK already owning a Smartphone and close to 100% of those aged 16-54 (CLICK HERE), the opportunity for the end user to simply install a Telecare App directly onto their own device has never been greater and it is only going to grow year on year.  For those few who do not currently own a device, you can guarantee that a relative or a friend will have an old one they can use. 

Why spend money on new “button and box” devices when you can deploy an App such as Yorbl Vita for c80-90% less? 

• Facilitate Easy, Rapid, Low-Cost Deployment  

Imagine a Telecare solution being provided at the point of purchase or the point of being prescribed, without the need for a physical alarm device to be ordered and installed?  

Yorbl’s app-based model facilitates this through installation directly onto users’ own smartphones or tablets, negating the need for costly hardware upgrades. This can be accomplished quickly and easily by a visiting Occupational Therapist, a family member or even by the end user themselves. 

Just how much money could be saved by providers who will have to pay for this to happen? Many £millions?  

• Position for the Future  

The problem with most traditional telecare offerings is not just the hardware and deployment costs, it is equally about the ability to scale such a solution and to be able to dynamically adapt it to the changing needs and circumstances of the end user.  

With many of these solutions offering only their own, proprietary peripherals etc., customers are quickly locked into and held back by both what is available to them now and a significant lack of pace when it comes to innovation and adaptability.  

The simple fact is that a truly digital, software-based solution like Yorbl is hugely more capable of adapting and developing to changing needs and circumstances and can do so exponentially quicker than any traditional solution. 

 With an inbuilt openness and interoperability that connects to any Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) Platform and allows integration with a massive and still growing range of peripherals from innovative third parties all over the world (including medically certified devices), we are already halfway there. 

Add a massively scalable cloud infrastructure that offers everything from the ability to view and analyse a User’s “Activities of Daily Living” to remote health monitoring and even the use of machine learning/AI to automatically predict problems and trigger actions to prevent them, what situation could not be adapted to? 

With this type of solution, providers can be absolutely sure that they both solve the problems directly in front of them and continue to do so well into the future. 

 These are just a few of the benefits that a solution such as Yorbl’s can bring, and you can be sure there are and will be many more. 

A Call to Action 

As we approach the 2025 deadline, public sector bodies must consider not just compliance with network changes but how to future-proof their operations. Even if lobbying creates a small delay, the changes to our mobile and fixed communications networks are inevitable and the clock is ticking inexorably. 

Investing in a robust digital solution like Yorbl addresses the immediate need for network compatibility while unlocking opportunities for enhanced care delivery and doing so in a way that can save providers £millions in unnecessary cost. 

The benefits, however, extend far beyond financial savings. They include better health outcomes, more personalised care, efficiency gains and a more sustainable model for combined Telecare and Telehealth provision. 

Virgin Media O2’s decision highlights the urgency of modernising critical services. It is an opportunity for telecare providers to embrace innovation and deliver better care for all. The question is not whether we can afford to transition to digital solutions but whether we can afford not to. 

Peter Reed-Forrester – CEO, Yorbl.