The UK's media regulator has imposed a substantial penalty on Virgin Media for serious failures that left thousands of vulnerable customers in danger during a major national infrastructure upgrade.
Serious System Failures During Critical Upgrade
Ofcom has levied a £23.8 million fine against Virgin Media after finding the company put vulnerable people at "risk of harm" while migrating them from traditional analogue landlines to new digital services. The investigation was triggered after Virgin Media itself reported a series of "serious incidents" in November and December 2023.
The core issue centred on the company's handling of customers who rely on telecare alarms. These devices, used by elderly or disabled individuals to summon emergency help, can malfunction when connected to digital phone lines if the transition is not managed correctly. Ofcom identified "serious system failures" in Virgin Media's migration process between August 2022 and December 2023.
Vulnerable Customers Left Without Lifeline
The regulator's report was damning. It found Virgin Media failed to properly identify and record which of its customers used telecare equipment. Even more critically, the company's approach to disconnecting customers who were slow to engage with the switchover process directly prevented their alarms from connecting to monitoring centres during the disconnection period.
Ian Strawhorne, Ofcom's Director of Enforcement, stated: "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." He emphasised that the fine sends a clear warning to all telecoms providers about their duty of care.
Fine and Remedial Actions
The £23.8m penalty must be paid to the Treasury within four weeks. The final amount reflects a 30% discount applied because Virgin Media voluntarily reported the problems, admitted its failings, and cooperated fully with Ofcom's investigation.
Since the failures came to light, Virgin Media has undertaken corrective measures. The company has conducted manual reviews of customer service records and directly contacted its nearly 43,000 identified telecare users to ensure they receive proper support for the switch. A company spokesperson acknowledged the shortcomings, saying: "We recognise that we didn't get everything right and have since addressed the migration issues identified by Ofcom."
The spokesperson added that customer safety is the top priority and outlined a "comprehensive package of improvements", including better communications, in-home support, and extensive post-migration checks. Virgin Media is also participating in a joint industry and government awareness campaign.
This case highlights the critical importance of safeguarding vulnerable consumers during nationwide technological changes, setting a significant precedent for the entire telecommunications industry.
