Technology Enabled Care Services (TECS) is the umbrella term covering telecare, telehealth and remote monitoring services that support people to live independently, typically older or vulnerable adults. TECS includes alarm-based devices such as pendant alarms and fall detectors, sensor-based monitoring, and remote clinical monitoring equipment, all connected to a monitoring centre that can respond to alerts. EdgeRedi™, Advantage's AI accelerator co-developed with Red Alert Telecare, is built on Business Central to support TECS providers through the operational complexity of equipment, installation and the digital switchover.
The operational demands behind TECS delivery
Delivering TECS at scale means managing thousands of individual installations, each with its own equipment record, service user details, response protocols and contract terms, often spanning multiple local authority and self-funder contracts with different billing arrangements. The digital switchover has added pressure, requiring providers to track which users still have analogue-only equipment and schedule migration before their area's analogue switch-off date. Business Central with EdgeRedi centralises equipment inventory, installation scheduling, contract billing and engineer job management in one system, replacing the spreadsheets and disconnected monitoring platforms many TECS providers have historically relied on.
TECS in practice
- A telecare provider uses EdgeRedi to identify every service user still on analogue equipment within a local authority area approaching switch-off, and schedules a structured migration programme against the deadline.
- A TECS provider managing mixed local authority and private contracts uses Business Central to apply different billing rates and invoicing cycles automatically based on contract type.
- An engineer scheduling team uses job management within EdgeRedi to route installation and maintenance visits efficiently across a wide geographic patch.
- A provider tracks equipment lifecycle data, including battery levels and unit testing schedules, to proactively replace ageing devices before they fail in service.
How Advantage supports TECS providers with EdgeRedi
EdgeRedi brings equipment inventory, installation and engineer scheduling, contract billing and digital switchover tracking together within Business Central, purpose-built for the operational reality of delivering telecare and telehealth services at scale. Co-developed with Red Alert Telecare, EdgeRedi reflects the practical demands TECS providers face managing thousands of connected users across mixed local authority and private contracts.
Read our guide to the digital switchover for TECS providers →
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Technology Enabled Care Services (TECS) for UK providers.
What is the digital telecare switchover and why does it matter for TECS providers?
The digital switchover is the UK-wide migration of the telephone network from analogue to digital, which affects traditional telecare alarms that rely on analogue landline signalling. TECS providers must migrate every connected user to digital-compatible equipment before analogue switch-off in their area, which is a significant operational undertaking requiring accurate equipment records and a managed installation programme across thousands of households.
What is the difference between telecare and telehealth within TECS?
Telecare refers to alarm-based monitoring equipment such as pendant alarms and fall detectors that respond to an emergency event. Telehealth refers to the remote monitoring of clinical readings such as blood pressure, blood glucose or oxygen saturation, allowing healthcare professionals to track a condition without an in-person visit. Both fall under the wider TECS umbrella and increasingly run on shared digital infrastructure.
What operational data does a TECS provider need to manage at scale?
TECS providers need to track equipment inventory and installation status per user, response call outcomes and timings, contract and billing arrangements with local authorities or self-funding customers, engineer scheduling for installation and maintenance visits, and equipment lifecycle data including battery replacement and unit testing. Managing this across a large user base requires structured, connected systems rather than spreadsheets or standalone monitoring platforms.
