BT under pressure from Ofcom to offer discount services to pensioners and poorest families
BT is under pressure from the regulator to offer a discounted service to pensioners and low income families.
The firm wants to move to internet-based voice calls, and away from traditional telephone lines. This would be relatively low-cost and allow BT to make savings, The Telegraph reported.
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But Ofcom is expected to ask the company to create new discounted services that will let customers without internet access make voice calls. The regulator is concerned that the move could isolate vulnerable groups.
Morning Wire understands that the issue will be addressed when Ofcom publishes the findings from its strategic review of digital communications, which is currently underway, later this year.
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A BT spokesperson said: "BT is alone amongst the major players in offering a range of products aimed at saving elderly and vulnerable customers money."
"We regularly discuss such products with Ofcom and those discussions are completely unrelated to any long-term plans to migrate customers to all-IP services by 2025."