Elderly relative? Help them stay connected by phone
ADVERTORIAL
We all know that change can be unsettling – especially if you’re older and perhaps need a little more support than you used to.
That’s why KCOM is reaching out to older people in Hull and East Yorkshire to let them know about the big landline phone upgrade that’s happening across the UK.
To make sure our landline phone network is fit to face future challenges, the ageing copper wires it uses are being replaced with modern fibre cables – ensuring that you’ll still be able to call your friends, family and those most important to you for many years to come.
While nationally it’s BT that’s replacing its copper network, in Hull and East Yorkshire it’s KCOM which is upgrading its landline network in one of the biggest infrastructure projects in its 120 year history. The £17m project will take two years to complete and will mean upgrading 170,000 home and businesses in the region.
For most people it’s a simple process to ensure that your phone line will still work after the switchover. If you’re already connected to fibre then it’s most likely you’ll just need to plug an adapter into the internet box (aka the Optical Network Terminal) on your wall and then plug your phone into the adapter.
But if you find the thought of having to do this a little daunting – or if you don’t have an internet fibre connection to your home – then help is at hand. And it won’t cost you a penny.
KCOM will send an engineer to every home where help is needed to connect to the fibre network, whether that’s installing a new fibre connection or just helping to plug in the adapter. We’ll ensure that no-one is left behind – but we may need a little help to make sure we connect everyone.
If you have an older family member, relative or friend who you think could benefit from extra help to make the switch, we want to hear from you too.
Louise Babych, KCOM’s community partner, said: “It’s really important that we reach everyone to make sure they stay connected. Older people are more likely to use their traditional landlines and we want to make sure they can continue to do so by upgrading to fibre. It’s perfectly normal for some people to be a bit daunted by having to make a change, but we’re here to help. And once they make the change, they won’t notice any difference to their service.
“If you have an older relative who you think might not be aware of the upgrade – or could use a little help or a free engineer visit to get fibre connected, please have a chat with them about what’s happening and then contact us. We’ll be more than happy to help.”
For more details about helping a family member upgrade their landline to fibre call 01482 484272 or visit www.kcom.com/switchover