In brief
For each lift, confirm the equipment, connection, receiving service and response contact. Give every part an owner and keep the latest verification record.
Before a line, SIM, router or provider changes, ask the lift/alarm and communications providers to agree compatibility, backup power and testing. A working telephone handset does not prove the lift alarm works.
Find out how the alarm reaches help
Ask the maintenance or alarm provider to explain the arrangement for this particular lift. Do not assume that a bell sound means a call has reached someone.
- In the lift: what does the alarm button operate? An autodialler is equipment that places an alarm call automatically.
- The connection: does it use a traditional phone line, a digital connection or a mobile network through a SIM?
- The receiving service: who answers, when are they available, and how do they identify the correct building and lift?
- The response: who sends an authorised responder, and what happens if the first contact cannot be reached?
The organisation that answers may be different from the company that attends. Confirm both arrangements, including out of hours, rather than relying on the maintenance company’s name alone.
For an entrapment, use the building’s emergency arrangements and the alarm if it works. If the alarm fails, report the entrapment immediately through the designated emergency response contact. Call 999 for immediate danger or a medical emergency. Do not force doors or attempt a rescue. See the breakdown guide.
Make one record for each lift
Start with the contract, alarm records, phone or SIM bills and provider correspondence. Ask providers to confirm missing details. Do not open panels, disconnect cables or enter restricted spaces to identify equipment.
- Lift reference, alarm equipment model and connection type.
- Line or service reference; SIM provider and underlying network where relevant.
- Alarm receiving service, response provider and escalation contacts.
- Who maintains, owns and pays for the equipment, connection, monitoring and backup power.
- Latest verification result, open faults and the agreed next check.
- Any notified network change, its actual date for this service and the person arranging the work.
Keep “unknown — awaiting confirmation” visible. Store account credentials and access codes securely elsewhere; this worksheet is a management record, not a password register.
Lift alarm connection record
Use one copy per lift to record the complete arrangement, evidence, open questions and responsible contacts. A completed sheet does not certify the system.
Lift alarm connection recordChoose Excel to edit, PDF to fill in or print, or CSV for a plain spreadsheet. Add your building details and save a copy on your device.
Understand the two network changes
Traditional landlines are moving to digital services
PSTN means the traditional public telephone network. Openreach currently gives 31 January 2027 as the retirement date for its traditional phone-line services. Your own service may change earlier: ask the communications provider for the actual date and tell it the line supports a lift alarm.
Do not wait for the national deadline or assume a standard digital phone adapter will support the alarm. Ask the lift/alarm provider and communications provider to confirm the proposed arrangement together.
Mobile networks have separate retirement plans
A SIM-based alarm may avoid reliance on a traditional landline, but its equipment and service still need checking. GOV.UK identifies lift alarms among devices that may rely on 2G. Mobile-network retirement dates differ from the PSTN change.
Ask which network and technology the alarm actually uses, including for voice calls. Get confirmation that the equipment, SIM/service and receiving system will work together on the proposed network. “GSM” or “4G” on a quote is not a complete explanation of that arrangement.
Source: Openreach business switchover information .
Source: GOV.UK guidance on the 2G switch-off .
Dates checked 16 October 2026. Confirm current dates with the provider responsible for your service; do not treat this article as a migration booking.
Ask what happens when power or signal is lost
Digital landlines need power at the premises. Ofcom explains that they will not work in a mains power cut without backup power. For a lift alarm, ask providers to consider the complete communication path, including any router or other powered network equipment.
Source: Ofcom digital landline guidance .
- Which parts need power, what backup supports them, and for how long under the actual arrangement?
- Who checks the batteries and records replacement dates?
- For a mobile connection, has suitable signal at the installed equipment been verified? A phone working in the entrance lobby is not enough evidence.
- How will a failed connection or failed automatic check be noticed, and who follows it up?
- Can the receiving service correctly identify the lift and communicate with its occupants, including the accessibility needs the installation must meet?
Ask the competent provider to confirm the requirements and evidence for this installation. This guide does not prescribe a universal battery duration, test interval or technical solution. A resident’s mobile phone is not a substitute for the lift’s required alarm arrangements.
Coordinate the change and keep the evidence
- Name a lead. Bring together the building manager, lift/alarm provider, communications provider and alarm receiving service. Include building IT where it supports the connection.
- Agree the scope. Record the compatibility evidence, quote, recurring charges, actual change date and any planned lift outage. Use the quote review guide if equipment changes are proposed.
- Agree a safe plan. Establish who controls the work, any restrictions on lift use and what happens if the change cannot be completed successfully.
- Arrange verification. Competent, authorised people should check the route from the lift to the receiving service and confirm the agreed response arrangements. Coordinate tests with the receiving service so they are recognised as tests.
- Collect the result. Keep the date, lift reference, provider, checks performed, result, limitations and open actions. Record who confirmed the arrangements and any return-to-service decision.
- Close the handover. Confirm the replacement is accepted and working before cancelling an existing service. Update contacts, bills, maintenance responsibilities and the next agreed checks.
Do not simulate an entrapment, remove power, rewire equipment or call 999 to test the system. Follow the provider’s authorised procedure. HSE stresses competent maintenance and safe working arrangements.
Source: HSE maintenance guidance .
Alarm changeover checklist
Track the decisions, responsible people, verification record and open actions. Use it alongside the providers’ technical plan, not as a testing procedure.
Lift alarm changeover checklistChoose Excel to edit, PDF to fill in or print, or CSV for a plain spreadsheet. Add your building details and save a copy on your device.
Send one clear request to your providers
Send the relevant questions to each organisation. Ask them to identify who owns any unanswered point, rather than leaving you between providers.
Ask providers to confirm the alarm arrangements
Copy this wording and replace the square brackets with your details.
Subject: Lift alarm and network change review — [building / lift reference]
We are checking the emergency communication arrangements for [building and lift reference]. Please answer the points within your responsibility and identify who can confirm the others.
1. What alarm equipment and connection does this lift use? Please confirm the model, line or service reference, connection type and, where relevant, SIM provider and underlying mobile network.
2. Who receives alarm calls, at what times, and how do they identify this building and lift? Who arranges attendance, including out of hours, and what happens if the first contact cannot be reached?
3. Who maintains the alarm equipment, connection and backup power? Who owns and pays for each service?
4. Is any part affected by the PSTN/digital landline change or a mobile-network retirement? Please give our actual service change date, the compatibility evidence and any work needed. Do not rely on a generic “digital-ready” description.
5. How will the complete communication path work during a mains power cut or connection failure? Please confirm the backup arrangements, their supported duration, maintenance needs and any limitations.
6. What checks and tests are required for this installation, who is authorised to perform them, and when are they next due? Please provide the latest available result and any open faults.
7. If a change is needed, please provide the proposed scope, one-off and ongoing costs, planned downtime, responsible contacts and the verification/handover plan. Please identify what must be confirmed before any existing service is cancelled.
Please distinguish confirmed information from unknowns and reply by [follow-up date]. Flag a current fault or unsafe arrangement immediately to [responsible building contact]; do not wait for that date.
This is a request for information and a coordinated plan. It does not authorise work, charges, cancellation or a change to the lift’s use. Share access credentials only through the agreed secure channel.
Download message template (TXT) ↓Keep checks and follow-up on the calendar
Agree who performs each check, how often and where the result is recorded, using the installation requirements and competent provider’s instructions. Add those dates to your management calendar. An automatic status message alone does not establish that every part of the response arrangement has been checked.
Review the record after an alarm fault, network change, router replacement, contractor change or a change to the receiving service. Do not cancel an apparently unused phone line until its purpose has been confirmed.
Report the fault immediately to the responsible building manager and lift/alarm provider. Arrange for the lift to be kept out of use through the building’s safe procedure until a competent provider confirms safe arrangements. Do not assume normal lift movement means it is safe to keep using it.
If the fault causes an outage, use the resident update templates. Keep the fault and the completion evidence with the lift’s records.
Sources & scope
Openreach · Digital phone lines for businesses GOV.UK · Preparing for the 2G switch-off Ofcom · Your landline is going digital HSE · Maintenance of work equipmentSources checked on 16 October 2026. Network sources concern UK telecoms; this guide is written for lift managers in Great Britain. Provider dates and arrangements can change. Ofcom’s general consumer guidance explains the power issue; it does not certify a lift alarm or specify its backup duration. These templates are editorial management aids, not an installation, rescue or testing procedure. Confirm applicable requirements and the complete system with competent providers.