Why was Graham Chapman unable to call 999?

Graham Chapman's BT landline was cut off during a fibre broadband upgrade, preventing him from calling emergency services when he suffered a stroke.

What is the UK's digital phone switchover?

The UK is transitioning all home phone services from traditional copper-wire cables to internet-based Digital Voice connections.

What has BT said about the incident?

BT has apologized for the landline outage, restored the service, and stated the Chapmans will receive compensation for the period without phone service.

Home / Technology / Stroke Survivor's 999 Call Blocked by BT Digital Switchover

Stroke Survivor's 999 Call Blocked by BT Digital Switchover

28 Jan

•

Summary

A 75-year-old stroke patient lost phone service during a digital upgrade.
The lack of landline prevented the man from calling emergency services.
The incident highlights risks associated with the UK's digital phone transition.

Stroke Survivor's 999 Call Blocked by BT Digital Switchover

A 75-year-old stroke patient, Graham Chapman, faced a critical emergency when his BT landline was disconnected during a fibre broadband upgrade. He and his wife, Jan, were without a functioning phone for two weeks. This outage critically prevented Mr. Chapman from calling 999 when he suffered a stroke.

They were eventually able to call for an ambulance using a mobile phone. Mr. Chapman spent a week in Princess Royal Hospital. His wife described the stress of resolving the phone issue as more concerning than the stroke itself.