British telecom company Virgin Media has been fined $31.5 million by communications regulator Ofcom for service failures during the switch from analog to digital landline services, which disrupted medical alert devices used by vulnerable customers, including the elderly and disabled. The regulator found that Virgin failed to properly identify users relying on these devices, leaving many disconnected from phone lines and monitoring centers, putting them at direct risk.
Virgin reported some of these “serious incidents” in late 2023 and has since implemented a range of improvements. The investigation noted that some users were disconnected for not participating in the digital transition, further increasing their risk. Virgin has conducted manual reviews of service records and reached out to its 43,000 medical alert customers to ensure support. The fine includes a 30% reduction because the company self-reported, admitted the issues, and cooperated with Ofcom, and it must be paid within four weeks.