The Platform Lift Company (PLC) has partnered with SafeLine, a Swedish company that manufactures open protocol safety accessories for lifts, to ensure that all emergency auto-diallers currently installed within platform lifts are upgraded to digital ahead of the analogue switch off.

Auto-diallers installed within platform lifts that depend on public switched telephone network (PSTN) lines will cease to work when the analogue telephone networks retire by the end of 2025. Auto-diallers allow passengers trapped inside a lift to call for help and are used to comply with the current lift regulations which mandate that all enclosed platform lifts are installed with an alarm device.

PLC is using SafeLine’s advanced 4G VoLTE products to upgrade existing auto-diallers installed in disability lifts across the UK and Ireland, to digital. VoLTE voice calls over a 4G LTE network to provide reliable and superior sound quality.

SafeLine’s fully compliant EN 81-28 auto-dialler package consists of a compact GSM module which can be fitted within most standard platform lifts, and an emergency telephone which has been designed to be one of the smallest on the market. An optional UK fully managed SIM card service is available from PLC as part of the upgrade.

Major brands and types of platform lift including cabin, vertical and open platform lifts can be upgraded by PLC using the SafeLine’s advanced 4G VoLTE technology. The system is powered directly using 10-30 V and uses the platform lift battery backup in the event of a power cut.

Installation including the positioning of the antenna is carried out by PLC’s qualified platform lift engineers. The auto-dialler is then programmed with a list of up to four emergency telephone numbers and can also be programmed to carry out a three-day self-test with a service and maintenance package provider like PLC.

As part of the partnership, PLC will be providing the SafeLine 4G VoLTE auto-dialler on all new platform lifts within its range with an optional SIM card. PLC’s Service and Maintenance packages will now include free and discounted upgrades for this new product.