It’s estimated that two-thirds of all lift alarms in the UK are currently connected to copper telephone landlines. The ‘digital switch’, which involves transitioning to fibre lines over the next three years, is a seismic shift in the telecoms infrastructure of the UK. This change is set to have a fundamental impact on the operation and resilience of lift alarm systems, according to the organisers of next month’s LIFTEX 2022 event.

Show Director, Oliver Greening, explains, “Lift owners need to be aware of the proposed risks of fibre solutions and understand the rapidly increasing pace of the fibre roll out. They also need to know which solutions can ensure lift alarms always remain available for users. It may seem a long way off, but the deadline is creeping up, and many with responsibility for managing lift and access equipment have not yet addressed it.”

What is the timeline for the switch?

The aim is that all PSTN and ISDN lines will be switched off in the UK by December 2025. After this time, every phone line will run digitally using VoIP (voice over internet protocol).

What are the implications for your buildings & who is responsible?

All emergency phones in lifts will be impacted. Greening continues, “Problems currently arise with fibre lines during power cuts when they stop working. In scenarios like this trapped passengers can’t call for help. However, the switch is the responsibility of the building owner/manager to oversee. “

Next steps

With three years to go until the deadline, what should lift owners be doing to prepare? Matthew Davies, Head of Strategic Marketing – Europe, Avire and LEIA representative at the European Lift Association TELCO Working Group, advises:

• Make the switch as soon as possible before the deadline (this means adapting your lift emergency phone lines). As the deadline approaches there will be a demand and you may not be able to get the assistance you need.
• Conduct an audit of how many lines you currently have in the building and if any have already been switched.
• Be aware of the effect the switch could have on your emergency communications equipment and evaluate what needs to be changed to ensure continued reliability
• The move to fibre lines means you will require a monitored backup battery (and if you use an Analogue Telephone Adaptor, this too will require a monitored battery backup)

Matthew Davies will be offering advice on the digital switch in a free seminar at the forthcoming LIFTEX 2022 event on 12th October. To register visit www.liftexshow.com

How to ensure your lifts are safe

Ensuring lifts run smoothly is essential, but how you also maximise their lifespan too? Here are five tips from the LIFTEX 2022 team:

1. Agree a good lift maintenance contract (this should span between three and five years).

2. Survey all your equipment and ask your maintenance provider to advise on any improvements to keep it running reliably and safely.

3. Your staff need to make daily checks to keep lifts and escalators running effectively and safely.

4. You need to have equipment examined thoroughly every six months as part of an essential safety check.

5. Ask you maintenance provider to carry out any supplementary tests requested from thorough examination.