Ivor Coleman, 65, from Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, was one of the first to write to this newspaper with concerns over BT’s digital rollout.

He said: “When I wrote that first letter, during Storm Eunice, I thought it was a big thing for BT to ditch such a fundamental capability that has been relied on throughout our lifetimes, seemingly without proper consideration of the consequences.”

It was “truly heartening” to see BT’s “climbdown”, he said, but added: “BT’s halt in the switch-off has come too late for me. Our phone was moved to broadband soon after I first wrote. To be fair, the change has been straightforward and works well so far. Crucially though, of course, it will not be so if we have a power cut.”

BT said it would ensure there was a suitable safety net in place before it continued with the project.

The BT spokesman added: “Customers who need phone lines with in-built power resiliency will receive them when they are ready.

“Customers should contact us to raise any concerns and we can find a solution that works for them.”