Service Disruption Impacts Voice Calls and Emergency Access
On Thursday, 24 July, there were extensive network breakdowns to affecting BT and EE customers within the UK thereby causing the breakdown in the voice services and accessibility to emergency calls. Interestingly, the problem reached its peak at 2.15 pm where more than 2,600 EE customers had been facing issues according to Downdetector. Even though a company statement claimed that the resolution was made, there were clients who reported it even on the following day.
Ongoing Reports Raise Concerns
Downdetector showed a spike in network outage reports on Thursday, particularly around midday. While numbers dropped by Friday morning, new reports began rising again by midday. Customers indicated that 4G and 5G services remained unreliable, preventing internet access and voice calls.
Following yesterday’s technical fault, we are currently experiencing some voice call issues today. The impact appears to be less widespread but we are working to resolve this as soon as possible and sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused.
— BT (@bt_uk) July 25, 2025
BT Confirms Fault Resolved
BT addressed the issue late on Thursday. “Following a technical fault impacting voice services on our network earlier today, we have now resolved the problem and the service is running as normal. We sincerely apologise and recognize the inconvenience this may have caused,” said an EE spokesperson.
BT also stated that 999 emergency calls were now restored. However, earlier reports from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Services highlighted issues with 999 accessibility, which the service confirmed at 3:01pm had returned to normal.
Following a technical fault impacting voice services on our network earlier today, we have now resolved the problem and the service is running as normal. We sincerely apologise and recognise the inconvenience this may have caused.
— BT (@bt_uk) July 24, 2025
Government and Emergency Services Respond
The Department of Science, Innovation and Technology confirmed that some users could not make or receive calls between EE and other networks. “EE and BT digital voice calls to 999 have now been restored,” a spokesperson said.
South Western Ambulance Service also noted problems, although both they and fire services confirmed service restoration later in the afternoon. The department added that communications providers must maintain resilient networks and comply with statutory obligations.
Ofcom Engages with BT Over the Fault
The UK’s communications regulator Ofcom contacted BT to assess the fault’s scope and technical cause. A spokesperson said, “Mobile networks and landlines are vital to reach essential and emergency services, it’s important for customers to be reconnected as soon as possible – and kept up to date with developments.”
Customer Services Also Hit by Fault
Customer service lines for EE and BT were unavailable during much of Thursday afternoon. Forum users reported failed attempts to contact support to request refunds or assistance for elderly relatives. One user described being unable to finalise an EE order for their parents.
Uswitch mobiles expert Ernest Doku noted that customers may be eligible for compensation. “If your landline stops working, you will be entitled to compensation if it has not been fixed within two days, but make sure to report the issue to your provider as soon as it happens,” said Doku.
Wider Network Effects Extend to MVNOs
Smaller mobile operators that rely on EE’s infrastructure also saw service disruptions. 1pMobile acknowledged issues affecting “a small number of customers” and assured users that EE engineers were addressing the problem. Lyca Mobile and Spusu, also operating on the EE network, were contacted for comment.
No Impact on Vodafone and Three Networks
Vodafone and Three confirmed that their networks operated normally during the disruption. However, Downdetector showed reports from their users, which may have stemmed from failures to reach contacts using EE or BT services. These issues illustrate the cross-network dependency inherent in the UK telecommunications infrastructure.
Hey there 👋 We’re really sorry, but due to some technical issues some customers will be experiencing issues making or receiving calls, we know how important it is for you to have this working and we’re working really hard to fix this as soon as possible. Abhay
— Vodafone UK (@VodafoneUK) July 24, 2025
Company Scale and Impact
The BT group has a base of more than 30 million customers in the UK. In the last financial year, the company had a revenue of 20.4 billion. Having so many customers, even a short term network outage, not only impacts major parts of the population but also those using cell phone or landline telephones in the case of an emergency.
Service Monitoring and Restoration Continue
BT stated that the problem has been fixed, even though there are user reports that they are still experiencing problems with the services. Customers still use the forums and social media to update each other about their experiences. Any additional incidents will probably be shown in Downdetector since more people will be reporting that their connection issues have not stopped.
BT Faces Calls for Infrastructure Review
The blame is similar to a mishap that occurred in September 2023, which decommissioned EE’s network and hobbled calls and messages on Vodafone. The problem on Thursday has triggered new demands on seeking to enhance network robustness, improving transparency in a case of a technical hitch.
BT and EE have not yet provided additional technical details on the root cause of the issue.
