BT halts removal of landline phones following customer backlash

BT, among other telecoms companies, had pledged to equip all homes with digital voice-over-internet phones by 2025 as part of a much needed update to the UK’s communication infrastructure.

The controversial rollout, which saw copper landlines removed in favour of fibre-optic cables, have resulted in some customers being unable to call 999 when their power has gone out as a result of storms cutting off their internet access.

BT’s chief executive of consumer brands Marc Allera apologised and said the firm had “underestimated the disruptive impact this upgrade would have.” He added that “in hindsight” the company had rolled the technology out “too early”.

Allera added that the disruption caused by recent Storms Arwen and Eunice brought these issues into sharper focus when people – including many of its customers in rural areas – needed to get in touch with loved ones during power outages. “We got this part of our programme wrong and for that, we’re sorry...