The UK's communications regulator has imposed a substantial fine on Virgin Media for serious failings that put thousands of vulnerable customers in danger during a major service upgrade.
Serious Failings During Digital Switchover
Ofcom has fined Virgin Media £23.8 million after an investigation found the company put vulnerable customers at "direct risk of harm". The breaches occurred in November and December 2023, when Virgin was migrating customers from traditional analogue landlines to new digital services.
The watchdog identified that Virgin failed to properly identify and record which customers used telecare devices. These are emergency alarm systems, often used by elderly or disabled people, that connect to monitoring centres to call for help in a crisis.
Because of this failure, affected customers did not receive the necessary support during the switchover. Ofcom found that their alarm devices were prevented from connecting to monitoring centres while their phone lines were disconnected, leaving them without a lifeline in an emergency.
Regulatory Action and Company Response
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 added that the fine sends a clear message to all companies about the consequences of failing to protect vulnerable consumers. Virgin Media has four weeks to pay the penalty, which will then be passed to the Treasury.
The regulator said the fine reflected the seriousness of the breach and the vulnerability of those affected. It also considered that Virgin self-reported the incident and admitted its failings.
Improved Safeguards Introduced
A Virgin Media spokesman said the company had updated its procedures since 2023 and introduced further safeguards. "While historically the majority of migrations were completed without issue, we recognise that we didn’t get everything right and have since addressed the migration issues identified by Ofcom," the company stated.
The firm has now implemented a package of support for vulnerable customers, which includes:
- Improved communications before and during switchovers.
- Additional at-home support for those who need it.
- Extensive checks after the service is changed.
- Participation in a national awareness campaign about the digital landline transition.
Virgin Media stressed that moving customers to digital services from older, less reliable analogue lines remains essential. The company now faces the challenge of rebuilding trust while continuing this necessary technological upgrade.
