Due to BT's imposed digital telephone switchover, users reliant upon group tele-care systems are faced with no choice other than to up-grade their installed equipment. This, for many  retirement properties, means ditching existing equipment many years before it would otherwise need replacement and at a cost more than double that of existing analog systems. This is unreasonable.

This will cause financial hardship for many retired and vulnerable people, particularly those on small fixed incomes, who are already very worried about the financial impact of this imposed change and neither BT nor government are offering any assistance with this cost (about £1500 per dwelling). This is unfair

My block of retirement flats alone will face a group bill for about £160 000 on top of the annual 'service charge' and many residents just don't know how they will be able to pay. This is unacceptable.

If residents' groups throughout the country cannot find the money to up-grade their systems many vulnerable people will be without the emergency call and back-up communication services which they rely upon. This will put lives at risk.

BT or government help is required to assist users of group tele-care equipment to meet the high and unexpected cost of the imposed switchover to digital tele-care systems. This has to happen, please help. Just sign the petition, no donations required (decline any requests for money) but do please sign.