Britain’s analogue phone network has been quietly running since the Victorian era. By 31 January 2027 it will be gone for good. The Public Switched Telephone Network — the PSTN — is being retired and replaced by internet-based “Digital Voice” calls running over your broadband connection. For millions of households that still use a traditional landline, the clock is ticking.
This is not a minor technical tweak. It is the biggest change to UK home telephony in decades, and it carries real practical consequences — especially if you rely on a landline as a lifeline, use a telecare or personal alarm, live in a rural area with poor mobile signal, or simply want to know whether you should bother keeping a landline at all. Here is everything you need to know.
What is the PSTN and Why is it Being Switched Off?
The PSTN is the network of copper telephone wires that has carried voice calls in the UK for well over a century. It works by sending analogue electrical signals along physical copper cables from your home to a telephone exchange, then onwards to whoever you are calling. It is robust, time-tested — and expensive to keep alive.
Openreach, which owns and operates most of the infrastructure, says the network is quite literally “falling to bits” and that spare parts are no longer available. The PSTN currently consumes a remarkable 1% of British energy usage despite serving a shrinking pool of customers. Maintaining aging copper infrastructure while usage collapses makes no commercial or environmental sense.
The switch-off is industry-led rather than government-mandated. Openreach is withdrawing its Wholesale Line Rental (WLR) products, while BT is retiring the PSTN itself. The government has said it supports the transition and its role is to ensure all sectors are “protected, prepared, and upgraded safely”.
The Timeline: What Has Been Delayed and Where Things Stand Now
The original deadline was 31 December 2025, but the rollout was paused twice — once after storms in winter 2021/22 exposed that digital phones go dead in a power cut, and again in December 2023 after the government revealed there had been “serious incidents” involving telecare devices that were incompatible with digital lines.
The new date is 31 January 2027, and according to Openreach’s Senior Manager for All IP Migrations, Juliette Scott, speaking in June 2026, it will not be delayed again. Openreach says the technical barriers have been resolved and the migration is firmly on track. The House of Commons Library research briefing (updated June 2026) confirms the same position.
As of June 2026, around 1.9 million UK lines remain on the old WLR network (down from 5.2 million in July 2024 and approximately 2.5 million in April 2026). To push laggards along, Openreach has raised legacy line prices by 20% from April 2026, with further rises of 40% on 1 July 2026 and again on 1 October 2026 — meaning prices for old lines will roughly double by the autumn.
One important nuance: Juliette Scott confirmed that there “won’t be a big bang on 1st February 2027“. Lines that haven’t migrated will be assessed and, where capacity exists, moved on to a product called Emergency Voice Access (EVAc) — a bare-bones voice-only fallback. Crucially, EVAc does not carry broadband, so any customer who loses their WLR line will also lose their internet connection if they haven’t moved across in time. Business ISDN lines face an even harder cliff-edge: they have no migration path and will simply be ceased on 1 February 2027.
What Actually Changes for You?
For most households the change is fairly seamless. Your broadband provider will contact you ahead of your migration date. Instead of plugging your telephone handset into the socket on the wall (the NTE5 master socket), you will plug it into a port on the back of your broadband router, or use an Analogue Terminal Adapter (ATA) — a small adaptor that your provider may send you. Your phone number stays the same. Call quality on modern Voice over IP (VoIP) services is generally equivalent to or better than the old copper line.
What changes fundamentally is the power dependency. The old copper network carried a small electrical current from the exchange, meaning your landline often worked even when the power was out. Digital Voice does not. When your router loses power — whether from a blackout, a tripped fuse, or a storm — your landline goes with it.
Who is Most Affected?
While the change is manageable for most households, some groups face more significant disruption.
- Landline-only households. Around 1.5 million UK households have no mobile phone or broadband at home and use only a landline. If you are in this group, your provider should be contacting you — you may be offered a basic digital phone service or helped to find a broadband package.
- Telecare and personal alarm users. Many fall alarms, medical pendants, and care alarms connect to the emergency centre via the phone line. Older analogue devices may not work on digital lines. The House of Commons Library confirmed there have already been “serious incidents”. If you or a family member uses a telecare device, contact the alarm provider now to confirm compatibility.
- Rural and remote households. The power-cut problem is compounded in rural areas, where outages can last longer and mobile signal may be non-existent. Battery backup is especially important here.
- Older and disabled customers. Ofcom research has found these groups are less likely to have a mobile phone and more likely to rely on their landline as a primary or sole means of communication and emergency contact.
- Business users on ISDN. Old ISDN2 and ISDN30 lines have no migration path and will be hard-ceased. Any business still on these services needs to act immediately.
Power Cuts and Battery Backup: The Critical Safety Issue
Ofcom has mandated that all phone providers must ensure customers can reach emergency services for at least one hour during a power cut. This can be achieved through a battery backup unit for the router or a mobile phone fallback.
Under the PSTN Charter — a set of voluntary commitments signed by BT, Sky, Virgin Media, EE, TalkTalk, Vodafone, Plusnet, and others — providers agreed to go beyond Ofcom’s minimum requirements for vulnerable customers. In practice this means:
- Free battery backup units for customers who are medically dependent, use telecare, have no mobile coverage, or are otherwise vulnerable.
- Some providers offer a “hybrid” handset with a built-in battery that can fall back to mobile networks automatically.
- Providers must not migrate telecare users unless their device has been confirmed as compatible with digital lines.
The enforcement teeth are real. In December 2025, Ofcom fined Virgin Media £23.8 million specifically for inadequate handling of vulnerable customer migrations during its Digital Voice rollout. Providers are taking this seriously.
If you think you qualify for a free battery backup unit, contact your provider and ask. You do not need to wait for them to contact you first.
What Providers Must Do
Under PSTN Charter commitments and Ofcom General Conditions, providers are required to:
- Give customers adequate notice before migrating them.
- Offer battery backup to eligible vulnerable customers at no cost.
- Not migrate telecare users until device compatibility is confirmed.
- Ensure uninterrupted access to 999 services for at least one hour during a power cut.
- Make sure that customers who have only a landline — no mobile, no broadband — are not left without any means of communication.
- Keep prices the same for landline-only customers who migrate. BT made a specific commitment to Ofcom on this point.
Do You Even Need a Landline? The Money Angle
The switch-off is a good moment to ask yourself: do I actually need a landline at all?
Ofcom data shows 98% of British adults own a mobile phone, and nearly all UK properties get indoor reception from at least one mobile network. If you have a mobile and reliable mobile signal, a separate landline may be genuinely redundant — and dropping it could save you money.
Many broadband providers now offer broadband-only packages with no line rental charge and no landline included. If your current deal bundles in a phone line you never use, switching to a broadband-only deal at renewal could cut your monthly bill. Check your contract end date before switching — you may face an early exit fee. We have a full guide to the best broadband deals in 2026 to help you compare your options.
If you do want to keep a number for infrequent calls, some providers offer very cheap VoIP-only add-ons, or you can use a free app such as WhatsApp or FaceTime for calls over Wi-Fi. Also bear in mind that if you are on a low income, you may qualify for a social tariff broadband deal — discounted packages offered by major providers to those on qualifying benefits. These typically cost under £20 a month and some include a digital voice line.
It is also worth being aware that Ofcom’s mid-contract price rise ban, which came into force in 2026, means any new broadband deal you sign should not be subject to surprise in-contract price hikes — another reason why now is a good time to review your package.
Quick Comparison: Old Copper Line vs Digital Voice
| Feature | Old PSTN Copper Line | Digital Voice (VoIP) |
|---|---|---|
| Works in power cut? | Usually yes (exchange powered) | No — needs router & mains power |
| Phone connection | Wall socket (NTE5) | Router port or ATA adaptor |
| Call quality | Good | Equivalent or better |
| Phone number | Stays the same | Stays the same |
| Broadband required? | No | Yes |
| Telecare compatibility | Yes (analogue) | Depends on device — check first |
| Available from Jan 2027? | No — being retired | Yes — all providers |
| Price trajectory | Rising sharply (doubling by Oct 2026) | Stable / competitive |
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my landline number change when I switch to Digital Voice?
No. Your existing phone number will transfer across to the digital service. In most cases your provider handles this automatically as part of the migration process, and you do not need to do anything to keep your number.
What if I use a telecare alarm or personal alarm pendant?
This is the most critical issue to address before your migration date. Contact your telecare device provider — whether that is your local council, a care charity, or a private company — and ask them to confirm your device is compatible with digital lines. Under the PSTN Charter, your phone provider must not migrate you until compatibility is confirmed. If your device is not compatible, a new mobile- or IP-based device will need to be supplied. Do not leave this until the last minute.
What happens to my landline in a power cut?
Unlike the old copper line, a digital landline will not work if your router loses power. Ofcom requires providers to ensure you can call 999 for at least one hour during a power cut — this is typically met by offering a free battery backup unit for the router. If you are medically dependent, have no mobile signal, or are otherwise vulnerable, ask your provider for a free backup unit. Do not assume it will be sent automatically — ask for it explicitly.
Can I drop my landline entirely and save money?
Yes, in many cases. If you have reliable mobile signal at home and do not rely on the landline for telecare or other essential uses, switching to a broadband-only package with no phone line could reduce your monthly bill. Many providers now offer standalone broadband without any call bundle. Compare deals carefully at renewal, and check whether you qualify for a social broadband tariff if you are on a qualifying benefit.
What if I have not been contacted by my provider yet?
Providers are rolling out migrations in waves rather than all at once. If you have not yet been contacted, your migration may still be several months away — but you do not need to wait. You can proactively call your provider, ask about your migration timeline, and flag any vulnerability or telecare concerns. With 1.9 million lines still to migrate as of June 2026 and the deadline less than eight months away, providers are accelerating their outreach.
Is your broadband deal ready for the digital switchover?
The PSTN switch-off is the perfect time to review your whole broadband package. Compare the latest deals, check social tariff eligibility, and make sure your contract has mid-contract price-rise protection.
Compare Deals at GetSmartSaver →This article is for general information purposes only and reflects the position as of June 2026. Timelines, provider commitments, and regulatory requirements may change. Always check directly with your phone or broadband provider and with Ofcom (ofcom.org.uk) for the most up-to-date guidance on your specific situation.