The UK phone network switches off on 31 January 2027
If your setup still relies on a landline, some services may stop working unless they are moved to digital.
Time remaining until switch-off
What waiting could cost you
Delaying the move can increase costs as legacy services are phased out.
What may still rely on your landline
If any of the below apply, your setup may need review:
• Lift emergency lines and safety systems
• Alarm panels and monitoring devices
• Card payment terminals and backup lines
• Broadband, telemetry, entry systems and other hidden dependencies
We help you identify what still depends on the landline and guide you to a working replacement, without unnecessary disruption.
Not sure what applies to you? We can review your setup.
Independent advice based on your setup, no obligation.
What changes next
Older phone-line services are being replaced by digital systems that better fit how homes, properties, and sites operate today.
This may mean moving your phone service to VoIP, changing your broadband, or replacing systems that still depend on the old line.
There is no single replacement. It depends on what is connected today.
Digital phone services
Phone lines are replaced with internet-based calling (VoIP), which lets you keep your number and use desk phones, apps, or mobiles depending on your setup.
View VoIP options →Modern broadband
Many broadband connections still rely on the same copper phone-line network being retired. Moving to a modern connection is part of the switch-off, not a separate upgrade.
Specialist replacements
Some systems need more than a standard line swap, especially where safety, backup, monitoring, or continuity are involved.
What replaces your current broadband
There are two main paths once the old phone-line network is removed. Which one applies depends on what is available at your address.
FTTP Full Fibre
A fibre connection runs directly into your property. It does not rely on the old phone network.
This is the long-term option where available, usually offering better stability and higher speeds.
SOGEA Data-only
Uses the existing line from the street cabinet, but removes the phone service from the broadband.
This is the standard replacement where full fibre is not yet available.
If you're unsure what applies to you, we can check this and guide you through the options.
We start with what depends on the line
We identify what still depends on the landline and guide you towards a working replacement, without unnecessary disruption to your service.
Not sure what applies to you? We can review your setup.
Independent advice based on your setup. Connectivity services are delivered through established UK providers. GW-Tech is an Ofcom-registered communications provider.
Information based on UK PSTN switch-off guidance from Ofcom and Openreach.
Common questions about the switch-off
What actually happens on 31 January 2027?
By 31 January 2027, Openreach will have fully withdrawn the PSTN and ISDN network across the UK. This isn't a single cutover for everyone on that day: exchanges have been migrating on a phased rollout since 2023, so many businesses will already have moved before the deadline. 31 January 2027 is the final date by which every remaining line must be migrated, and Openreach has confirmed it won't be extended again, having already been pushed back once from an original December 2025 date. Once your exchange migrates, whether that's well ahead of the deadline or right up against it, any phone line, alarm, payment terminal or other equipment still connected through the old analogue line stops working unless it has already moved to an alternative such as VoIP.
I already have broadband. Do I still need to do anything about my phone line?
Having broadband doesn't automatically move your phone service across. If your number and calls still run over the old analogue line rather than a VoIP service, or your broadband itself depends on the copper network being retired, you'll need to migrate separately. It's worth doing this well before January 2027 rather than in the final rush.
What about alarms, lifts, or card payment terminals on the same line?
These often rely on the same analogue line as the phone, and there's a second dependency worth knowing about. Old analogue lines carried their own power down the copper, so they kept working in a power cut. VoIP and other IP-based alternatives run over your router and broadband, so they need mains power, and usually a battery backup unit, to keep working if the power goes out. If you have equipment other than phones connected to your PSTN line, especially anything safety-related like alarms or lift lines, it needs assessing separately so continuity is covered properly, not just connectivity.
Do we have to move everything at once?
No. Migration can be staged around what's actually connected today. One thing worth knowing: your broadband connection itself may depend on the same copper phone line being withdrawn, not just your calls, so it isn't always a separate decision. We'll help you work out what's connected to what, and build a plan that covers everything properly, without doing it all in a single project.
How does Wave VoIP work once we've switched?
Wave VoIP keeps your existing number, or provides a new UK geographic number, and lets your team make and receive calls from a desk phone, laptop, tablet or mobile. It includes a shared monthly allowance of 5,000 minutes to UK landlines and 2,000 minutes to UK mobiles, 30-day voicemail, and runs on a rolling 30-day agreement rather than a long-term contract.
