Ofcom Fines Virgin Media £23.8M for Endangering Vulnerable Customers

Virgin Media has been fined 23.8 million pounds by the United Kingdom's media and communications regulator, Ofcom, for endangering thousands of vulnerable customers during a program to upgrade landline services from analogue to digital systems in late 2023.

The incidents occurred in November and December 2023 as part of a broader migration effort that began in August 2022. Ofcom's investigation revealed that Virgin Media breached consumer protection rules by failing to adequately identify and document customers using telecare devices. These systems, commonly employed by elderly or disabled individuals, connect emergency alarms in homes to monitoring centers that alert family members or services in cases of falls, floods, or gas leaks. Due to inadequate support, the devices of affected customers lost connectivity to these centers when their phone lines were disconnected during the upgrades. Many of these individuals were not actively involved in the migration process, heightening their exposure to potential harm.

Ofcom described the lapses as serious systemic failures that directly risked the safety of thousands. The regulator noted that while Virgin Media self-reported the...