Shropshire MP writes to Government with concerns ahead of 2025 copper wire phone network switch-off
A Shropshire MP has urged the Government to reassure rural residents that back-up will be in place when the copper wire phone network is axed next year.
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Helen Morgan has written to the Minister for Data Protection and Telecoms, Sir Chris Bryant MP, regarding the change that will see the traditional phone network shut down and switched off, and replaced with broadband phone connections.
The North Shropshire MP's concerns about the changes include "whether people will be able to communicate during power cuts".
"Unlike the traditional phone network, broadband connections need power for people to be able to make phone calls," she said.
The Liberal Democrat MP adds that in places where mobile phone signal is poor, residents would be left with no way of making a call.
Mrs Morgan has been campaigning on the issue and hosted a cross-party roundtable in Parliament with national telecoms firms and other organisations, as well as petitioning her constituents on her proposal to introduce 'Rural Roaming' - a scheme to "ensure there is a base level of signal in the most rural and poorly connected parts of the country".
Currently, copper wire landlines will be switched off in December 2025. But Mrs Morgan said "little visible progress" has been made by the Government or industry bodies.
In her letter to the minister, the North Shropshire MP has argued that the lack of signal in much of her constituency "makes it crucial that a mobile connection is not the only back-up option for people when broadband signal is lost".
She added that this has a particular impact during flooding and power cuts.
"It's the 21st century - wherever they live, people need to know they will be able to make a phone call when they need to," she said.
"I am highly concerned about the timetable for the copper wire switch-off given that rural areas like North Shropshire continue to have extremely poor mobile phone signal.
"There are too many places in Shropshire where you can't get any signal at all, and there are even more places where you can only get signal from select providers. This makes a reliable landline connection even more crucial.
"With the switch-off due to take place in just 15 months, it is a real worry that there has been no clear progress made on signal problems. I hope the Government will take my concerns seriously and reassure residents in rural areas that they won't be forgotten about before this impending deadline."
