The BBC has suspended the closure of the Red Button text service a day before the feature was to be phased out.
The suspension follows the handing of a petition to the BBC and Downing Street, organised by the National Federation of the Blind of the UK (NFBUK).
The petition expression concerns that the removal of the Red Button service would “leave many people, who are already vulnerable, further isolated and marginalised from society.”
BBC director general Tony Hall said in a response: “People have expressed their concern that the closure of Red Button text service could negatively affect elderly people and people with disabilities.
“These are issues which I feel deserve to be explored in more depth… so we have decided to suspend its closure pending further work in that area.”
He added that the service would continue “as close as possible to its current state for the time being.”
The NFBUK welcomed the news and said it was looking forward to working with the BBC and the British Deaf Association “for a better resolution.”
