What is the analogue to digital telecare transition?
When you press your pendant, or any of your sensors activate, your new digital Smart Hub will connect to West Lothian Careline allowing you to speak to the operator as you do now, the only difference is, the Smart Hub will connect using a SIM card instead of your analogue phone line. West Lothian Council are introducing new digital telecare alarms. The new telecare alarms will work in a different way, sending alerts using the inbuilt SIM card instead of using your analogue telephone line.
How will the new Smart Hub work?
When you press your pendant, or any of your sensors activate, your new Smart Hub will connect to West Lothian Careline allowing you to speak to the operator as you do now, the only difference is, the Smart Hub will connect using a SIM card instead of your analogue phone line.
I don't have internet, can I still receive the service?
Yes, your Smart Hub will operate using the SIM card
Smart Hub uses a SIM card, what happens if I get a poor mobile phone signal?
The Smart Hub contains a multi network SIM card and will continually search all mobile networks and connect using the one with the strongest signal when an alarm call is generated. The SIM card is not fixed to any one network to ensure a reliable service.
What are the benefits of digital telecare?
The transition to digital technology is an exciting opportunity and brings many benefits including:
· Faster connection to West Lothian Careline
· Better audio quality
· Safer - digital alarms are more reliable and can tell us if there is an issue such as loss of power
Will I get a new community alarm?
Yes. We will contact every West Lothian Careline service user and arrange to change your existing telecare alarm to the new digital Smart Hub, we aim to complete this transition by 2023.
Will I have to pay for the new Smart Hub?
No, currently telecare equipment is provided free of charge, the weekly charge you currently pay includes the connection to West Lothian Careline and the 24-hour monitoring service they provide.
How do I know if I already have a digital telephone line?
Digital telephone lines have already started to be installed in homes in Scotland, so you may already have one, or your telephone company may offer you one soon.
Telephone services are often sold as part of a package combined with internet access and potentially digital television. This means that you may be upgraded to a digital telephone line if you swap or upgrade your internet or TV package.
If you have had to connect your telephone handset to a different socket, potentially on your internet router, Wi-Fi hub, or TV box, then you have probably been moved to a digital phone line