Question follow-through · 104627

Voice over Internet Protocol

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the transition from analogue to digital landline services on public safety, including the availability of digital tele

answeredDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology

About this written question

A written question asks a government minister for information in writing. Parliament publishes the question and any answer.

Answering body
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Tabled
12 Jan 2026
Target answer date
14 Jan 2026
Answer
21 Jan 2026 · 9 calendar days after tabling

Elapsed calendar days describe the record timeline, not whether Parliament considers an answer on time.

Recorded timeline

  1. 12 Jan 2026

    Question tabled

    To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the transition from analogue to digital landline services on public safety, including the availability of digital tele

  2. 14 Jan 2026

    Target answer date

    Date supplied by the official written-questions record.

  3. 21 Jan 2026

    Answer published

    The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) often relies on cables in the air that can fail during a storm. In 2024/25 there were over 2,600 major incidents on the PSTN, each affecting 500 or more customers. Further, in a power outage the PSTN would not ...

Open official record

Official data retrieved 28 Sept 2026.

Later records

Possible follow-up questions

Strong links require the same MP, department and exact heading. Other same-department questions are shown as unreviewed candidates, not as confirmed follow-ups. No debate link is asserted unless a stable source relationship exists.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Mobile Phones: Aerials

26 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assumptions her Department used to estimate the cost of installing back-up power at mobile phone masts, including assumptions on (a) the number of sites covered, (b) the type of ba

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Mobile Phones: Power Failures

26 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of implementing alternative models for improving power resilience of mobile telecommunications networks, including the use of

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Mobile Phones

26 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has consulted (a) industry bodies and (b) community representatives on proposals to improve mobile network resilience.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Mobile Phones: Aerials

26 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what estimate her Department has made of the potential impact of providing back-up power to mobile phone masts on consumer electricity costs; and whether this estimate is based on (a) D

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Mobile Phones: Aerials

26 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of installing back-up power at mobile phone masts on (a) one-off capital costs, (b) ongoing operational and maintenance c

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Mobile Phones: Aerials

26 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has made an estimate of the period of time for which improved power resilience at mobile phone masts would increase consumer bills.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Mobile Broadband: Per Capita Costs

26 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what estimate her Department has made of the cost per customer per year of different mobile network resilience options.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Mobile Phones: Aerials

26 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what advice her Department has received from (a) mobile network operators, (b) Ofcom and (c) independent telecommunications resilience experts on the most cost-effective means of improv

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Mobile Phones: Aerials

26 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she plans to publish the analysis underpinning the Government’s estimate of the cost of improving power resilience at mobile phone masts.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Mobile Broadband: Infrastructure

26 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department plans to undertake further work on improving the resilience of mobile communications infrastructure.