Loss of a landline means the loss of a Lifeline

sir – I also face problems when my BT landline becomes broadband-only (Letters, February 21). I was told by BT that I could obtain a battery back-up pack, but that supplies had run out. My mobile does not work in the house.

What of those of us who are elderly and disabled and would lose our Lifeline personal alarm service, as it is accessed through the landline? BT has no solution.

P C Martin

Canterbury, Kent

sir – Ivor Coleman (Letters, February 19) notes that BT’S conversion to broadband-only means the loss of the landline in the event of a power cut.

Despite this major drawback, customers cannot reject this change and no compensation is offered, although BT will significantly reduce its costs of operation by converting. Brian Whittingham

Dorchester sir – BT replaced our landline last year with a Digital Voice phone which runs through our broadband.

Our area was hit by Storm Eunice last week and we had no electricity for hours. Fallen trees meant that we were effectively cut off from the outside world. I am sure that we were not the only ones in this situation.

Wendy Henderson

Frittenden, Kent

sir – Our landline was transferred to Digital Voice on December 20 last year. We now have two phone lines, but these have a tendency to cancel each other if we receive two calls.

The phone lines died during a recent power cut. Our mobile worked, but only just, as our 4G signal shows one pip out of four on a good day. Without a mobile, anyone would be incommunicado in a power cut.

Jeff Ratcliffe

Ormskirk, Lancashire