MPs have warned that the UK's move from traditional copper landlines to digital phone services could leave some people in remote areas unable to call for help during power cuts and severe storms.

Cross-party MPs warned ministers that switching to internet-based phones leaves isolated residents unable to call 999 during power cuts.

Telecoms providers are due to complete the transition from the traditional Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to digital services by 31 January 2027. Digital landlines typically rely on broadband routers and will not work during a power cut without backup power.

Why Power Outages Sever Digital Phone Connections in Rural Areas

Traditional copper telephone lines draw power directly from exchanges, which allows handsets to operate without domestic electricity.

In contrast, digital landlines require broadband routers, which means home phone service fails instantly during a blackout.

The BBC reported that rural MPs warned Security Minister Dan Jarvis that storms frequently disable both power grids and mobile masts at the same time.

Labour MP Torcuil Crichton highlighted the dangers facing islanders across his Western Isles constituency of Na h-Eileanan an Iar.

'When the power goes out people don't have the phone, they don't have the internet and often they don't have a mobile signal either,' Crichton said.

He urged the government to intervene before high winds isolate vulnerable people who live far from hospital care.

'The ambulance is an hour away and the storm is 70 miles an hour,' Crichton warned.

Rising Fears for Isolated Elderly Residents and Medical Panic Alarms

Parliamentarians also raised serious concerns regarding elderly Britons who rely on personal alarm buttons to summon medical assistance.

Industry data from regulator Ofcom reveals that roughly 47% of UK homes currently maintain an active landline telephone connection.

That figure has dropped steadily from 54% a few years ago and 84% a decade ago. Despite declining usage, landline access remains heavily concentrated among older citizens who face elevated healthcare and fall risks.

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Between 76% and 80% of adults aged 65 and over continue to use or retain a home phone. By comparison, only 16% to 28% of under-25s keep a landline, frequently treating the device as a decorative novelty.

Crucially, about 3% of UK households depend exclusively on landlines, lacking any mobile phone alternatives to summon medical assistance.

Markus Campbell-Savours, Labour MP for Penrith and Solway, urged ministers to consider the risks to an isolated pensioner living in a remote valley. He described a scenario in which a storm cuts power to their router overnight and the battery backup subsequently fails.

He warned that without mobile coverage, vulnerable residents have 'no way to raise an alarm in an emergency'.

Members of the public echoed these concerns online, warning that many elderly residents cannot navigate modern mobile devices.

'This is really not good for older people with lifeline panic buttons that rely on landlines,' one resident quipped on social media. Another user noted that they must drive a mile down the road just to find a reliable mobile signal.

'Madness,' another user wrote.

Short Battery Life and National Infrastructure Security Concerns

Telecoms providers must offer vulnerable customers who depend on their landlines for emergency calls a free backup solution lasting at least one hour during a power cut. Some providers offer longer backup periods.

However, Crichton dismissed these temporary units as 'simply not adequate' for rural power cuts that last several days.

Conservative MP Julian Lewis cautioned that scrapping copper cables removes a crucial defensive safeguard against cyber attacks and emergencies. Lewis argued that the legacy network could have provided vital resilience if national digital systems suffered widespread technical collapse.

Jarvis assured MPs that he would examine the problem before leading an emergency resilience summit in Cornwall next month.

'Our telephone networks are a vital part of our critical national infrastructure,' Jarvis told the House of Commons.

Meanwhile, the government and broadband providers maintain that the traditional Public Switched Telephone Network has become increasingly unreliable and expensive.

Industry figures indicate that full fibre broadband is now available across more than 80 percent of UK premises.

Officials advise vulnerable customers and telecare users to contact their providers before the switchover to confirm that their phones and connected devices will continue to work and that suitable backup arrangements are in place.

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