Ofcom Issues £17.5 Million Fine to BT Group Over 999 Call Handling Failure
Monday, 22 July 2024, 09:54
Overview of the Incident
In June 2023, BT Group faced a serious issue that led to a failure in its 999 call handling service. This situation compromised the ability of deaf individuals to access emergency services through BT's text relay system.
Ofcom's Response
- Ofcom has issued a fine of £17.5 million against BT Group.
- The regulator described the incident as a catastrophic failure of service.
- The outage put deaf users at an increased risk of harm.
Conclusion
BT Group's failure to maintain effective emergency communication services has drawn significant regulatory penalties. This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of ensuring reliable access to emergency services for all individuals, particularly those reliant on text-based communication.
This article was prepared using information from open sources in accordance with the principles of Ethical Policy. The editorial team is not responsible for absolute accuracy, as it relies on data from the sources referenced.