Ofcom has fined Virgin Media £23.8 million after finding that the company disconnected vulnerable customers with telecare alarms during the shift from analogue to digital landlines.
Telecare devices rely on a stable phone connection to alert monitoring centres in an emergency. Ofcom said Virgin Media failed to identify many of these users between August 2022 and December 2023, leaving gaps in its screening process.
It also disconnected customers who did not engage with the upgrade, despite knowing the risks, which meant their alarms could not connect.
The regulator said the company had broken consumer protection rules requiring providers to treat vulnerable people fairly.
Ofcom noted that Virgin Media had reported the issues itself, cooperated with the investigation and accepted the findings.
The group paused migrations in December 2023 and has since added safeguards, including manual checks of customer records, renewed engagement campaigns and closer work with local authorities.
Ian Strawhorne, Ofcom’s enforcement director, said: “It's unacceptable that vulnerable customers were put at direct risk of harm and left without appropriate support by Virgin Media, during what should have been a safe and straightforward upgrade to their landline services.
“Today's fine makes clear to companies that, if they fail to protect their vulnerable customers, they can expect to face similar enforcement action.”