Bank fraud checks when to upgrading to full fibre and trusting in mobiles...

[#1]

I went with the offer of cheaper internet at the loss of my landline for a nice reliable fast connection.  Yes I have a rock solid 500/80 connection on 500fullfibre, but some days I am weighing the cost of no landline anymore.

So my story, strap in.

My mobile phone up and died on me in hospital and I had a further 4 weeks stay after it broke with no method of buying a new one until I got home, where I am mostly house bound due to arthritic joints.  I had tried to buy a 2nd hander off amazon once home and bank locked my account for a fraud check, go figure.  Which when you have a working phone they can verify you with the hoops they require to validate and clear the block on all online payments.

Butt [i] pun intended[/i] as I hurt, other than my dead mobile I had nothing and I couldn't even backup the data from my phone as the phones USB C was completely dead.  So I lost all data that I could have extracted my contacts to at least email my sister for help.  I contacted her through my district nurses as she is my next of kin so on record, but I had to wait on the nurses coming in as they weren't informed by hospital.  So home Monday lunch time, locked my back account to all online payments.  Then on the Wednesday a nurse appeared who then contacted my sister for help as they weren't allowed to help that far.  My sister arrived the friday night and she tried to get me a cheap temp phone from Tescos or Carphone/curries, but all shut. ended up having to use her bank card and got a phone delivered next day, big sisters pay the love forward to yours, you won't regret it.  I final got a 2nd hander on the Saturday with almost no food left in my flat.

So if you have a vulnerable through health issues even if compos mentis family member, check on them regularly if they go a week and you haven't heard from them, Check!

[#2]

@Gus sorry to hear of your troubles - sounds like a complete nightmare.

With families spread far and wide these days it's even more important to keep in touch and, as you say, check on them.

My daughter with three children has her own health issues possibly requiring a heart operation. If I don't hear from her for a couple of days I will at least message her with a quick 'Hi, how's things'. Definitely don't want to intrude but want to be ready to be there if needed.

[#3]

thanks @Mav to cap it of I saw an article yesterday about digital phone on FF, they are very flaky and have very limited range. Also will require battery backup if and when they loose power, so great for those with fall alarm neck fobs, which will be in my future as I age as arthritis doesn't go away, just worse

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-12858575/bt-digital-landline-switchover-pensioners...