Telecoms giant Virgin Media has been hit with a massive £23.8 million penalty from the regulator Ofcom for failing to protect its most vulnerable customers during a critical national upgrade project.
A Dangerous Disconnection for Telecare Users
The record fine, the largest issued by Ofcom this year, centres on Virgin Media's handling of customers during the planned migration from old analogue landlines to new digital services. The Reading-based company reported problems to the watchdog itself concerning its 'telecare' customers between November and December 2023.
These telecare services are lifelines, typically used by elderly and vulnerable people who rely on their phone line to connect to emergency alarm systems. Ofcom's investigation found that Virgin Media's approach was deeply flawed.
The regulator stated the company disconnected telecare users who had not yet engaged with the migration process, despite being fully aware of the severe risks. This action placed thousands of vulnerable customers at direct risk of harm, as their alarm devices could not connect to monitoring centres while the line was dead.
Systemic Failures in Identification and Support
Beyond the disconnections, Ofcom identified a catastrophic failure in Virgin Media's internal processes. The company did not accurately identify or record which of its customers used telecare equipment.
This led to significant gaps in the screening process, meaning those who needed the most careful, tailored support during the switch simply did not receive it. They were left without the necessary safeguards during what should have been a safe and straightforward upgrade.
Ian Strawhorne, Ofcom's Director of Enforcement, was unequivocal in his condemnation. "It's unacceptable that vulnerable customers were put at direct risk of harm and left without appropriate support by Virgin Media," he said.
He added a stark warning to the industry: "Today's fine makes clear to companies that, if they fail to protect their vulnerable customers, they can expect to face similar enforcement action."
Admission, Cooperation, and Corrective Steps
Ofcom noted that Virgin Media acknowledged its failings by entering into a settlement process and cooperated with the investigation. The company halted the problematic migrations in December 2023 and has since taken what the regulator describes as "significant steps" to fix the issues.
These steps include revising policies and procedures and implementing additional customer safeguards.
A Virgin Media spokesperson said: "As traditional analogue landlines become less reliable and difficult to maintain, it's essential we move our customers to digital services. While historically the majority of migrations were completed without issue, we recognise that we didn't get everything right and have since addressed the migration issues identified by Ofcom."
The spokesperson emphasised that customer safety is the top priority and pointed to a comprehensive package of improvements and enhanced support introduced after an end-to-end review began in 2023.
This £23.8 million penalty surpasses the £21 million fine levied against Royal Mail earlier this year for delivery delays, marking it as Ofcom's most substantial financial sanction of 2025 to date.
