A terminally ill pensioner fears his wife could be left with no way to call for help when he dies if an issue with his phone line is not sorted soon.

Phil Woods, from Stockbury, in Sittingbourne has secondary prostate cancer and is desperate to sort out his phone issues at home before it is too late.

The pensioner, who lives in a remote part of Stockbury with no signal, relies on his landline to call for emergency help if his wife, who has a serious heart condition, is taken ill.

He has recently been told he needs to move to BT Digital Voice as part of a national switch-over scheme but he fears the connection through his internet could leave his wife with no way to communicate if the area has one of its frequent power cuts.

BT has promised him a back-up battery and was initially planning to charge him £85, although they have since rescinded the charge.

It also plans to postpone the switch-over for more vulnerable customers.

But Mr Woods is desperate to get the issue sorted before he dies and leaves his wife to deal with the mess.

The technophobe said he has spent 16 hours on the phone to BT in the past two weeks as the switch-over has failed to materialise.

‘I’m terrified that if we have a power cut we will have no way to phone for an ambulance’

He has also been promised a new kit, which he doesn’t need as one has already been delivered, and has been told on three separate occasions that the switchover is now complete, only to then receive a message saying it isn’t.

At one point he was left with no internet, which is his only way to order his food shopping, pay his bills and communicate with his two children and grandchildren who live in Australia.

“It’s been very stressful,” he said. “I just want to get it sorted so it is not left for my wife to deal with when I have gone.

“I’m terrified that if we have a power cut we will have no way to phone for an ambulance if my wife keels over. We can’t use our mobiles unless we are standing in a particular window at a particular time of day.

“We need a landline in case there is a power cut, which we often have in this area.”

A BT spokesperson said: “We are very sorry for the issues Mr Woods has experienced.

“Customers with additional needs, including those with medical conditions or who use healthcare pendants, are exempt from being transferred to Digital Voice at this stage. We advise anyone who falls into this category to make the switch at a later point.

“Mr Woods was keen to switch due to his individual circumstances. We are working closely with him to migrate his services as quickly and as safely as we can.”

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK, said: “Home phones are a lifeline for older people who don't use computers, don’t use a mobile, or live in an area with poor connectivity and are particularly important for those who rely on their landline for call for emergency support.

“No-one should be expected to switch to a new digital system until they are happy to do so, and everything is in place to ensure continued phone access. This must include suitable options to make emergency calls in the case of a power cut or loss of internet or mobile signal.”

BT announced its regional rollout schedule for Digital Voice last September and aims to have all homes transferred by the end of 2025.

What is the digital switch over?

It means existing analogue technology which has supported phone and broadband services for decades will be switched off and replaced with newer digital technology.

People will still be able to use their landline, but calls will be made through the internet connection.

The handset will be connected to a router rather than the phone socket on the wall.

The idea is the digital landlines will be easier to maintain and will provide a better service.

It is being rolled out region by region and people will be contacted four weeks before it is their turn.

BT has said it won’t yet be proactively switching anyone who has a healthcare pendant, only uses a landline, has no mobile signal or has any additional needs.

It says it will take extra time to support customers who are over 70 and are ready to make the switch.

The company says it is upgrading the network “to enable future technologies and to make it easier for you to connect on any device at home or on the go”.

Upgrading to Digital Voice promises to have no impact on how you use your phone but will offer added features such as the ability to block nuisance calls at the touch of a button.