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Openreach has told communications providers that Britain’s legacy public switched telephone network is scheduled to be retired on January 31, 2027, and says the date will not be postponed. Customers and businesses still using PSTN lines, including for alarms and payment terminals, should contact their provider to plan a move; the impact on individual services depends on their setup.
Openreach says the UK’s legacy public switched telephone network (PSTN) is due to be retired on January 31, 2027, and the company has told communications providers that the deadline will not be postponed. The change could disrupt not only traditional landline calls but also equipment that uses PSTN connections, including some payment terminals, security systems and personal care alarms.
Openreach, the BT Group infrastructure business that operates the network, sent a warning this week to communications providers using its infrastructure. It said customers still connected to PSTN services risk disruption when those services are retired at the end of January. The notice is directed to providers, which deliver phone and broadband services to consumers and businesses.
For customers who want to keep a home phone, the usual change is to connect a handset to a broadband router and use a digital voice service. Openreach has said that customers without a fibre connection may instead be moved to SOTAP for Analog, a product that uses equipment in the local exchange to let them continue using an existing phone line. The appropriate route depends on the customer’s location and service arrangement, so customers are advised to speak to their provider.
The deadline also affects businesses and organisations with systems that communicate over analogue lines. Openreach has warned that complex installations may need supplier coordination, testing and engineering work, and that leaving migration until late could make it harder to arrange support. Earlier this year, the company increased charges to providers and businesses that continue operating legacy business lines; The Register reported that rental costs had doubled compared with the previous year.
Phone Lines Also Support Essential Equipment
The change is not limited to whether a household still owns a landline handset. Devices connected through PSTN may include point-of-sale terminals, fire and security alarms, and TeleCare or other personal care alarms used by older and vulnerable people. If a device depends on the old network, switching the phone service alone may not be enough: the connected equipment may also need replacement, reconfiguration or testing.
Digital voice services can also depend on broadband and household power, unlike traditional telephone lines that could often keep working during a local power cut. The source report does not specify the arrangements available for every provider or customer. People relying on a phone for safety or emergency contact should ask their provider how the replacement service works during a power or broadband outage and what backup options apply to their particular equipment.
For businesses, a missed migration can affect routine operations as well as costs. Payment processing and alarm monitoring may be interrupted if an analogue connection is withdrawn before the relevant system is ready. That makes identifying all remaining lines—not only those used for voice calls—an important part of planning.
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A Long-Planned Copper Network Retirement
The PSTN switch-off forms part of a wider move towards digital communications using fibre-based infrastructure. The old service relies on copper connections and traditional telephone exchanges. Openreach has been planning its retirement for years, and providers have already moved many customers to digital services.
The timetable has previously been delayed. The Register reported that the deadline was pushed back after the government asked providers not to force vulnerable customers who rely on services such as TeleCare to switch before solutions were available. The latest Openreach message says the current date is fixed, but the source report does not detail whether every individual customer or specialist service has completed its arrangements.
Openreach advises consumers to contact their communications provider as soon as possible to reduce the risk of interruption. The provider, rather than Openreach directly, is generally the customer’s point of contact for service-specific migration arrangements.
“Nobody who relies on their landline or TeleCare should be left behind.”
— Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK
Customer and Device Impacts Vary
The exact effect on each customer remains dependent on their setup. The available report does not provide a complete account of which households, businesses or devices are still using PSTN, nor does it identify every service that may require separate replacement or testing. It also does not set out a single migration process or timetable for all providers.
Openreach’s SOTAP for Analog option is described as a possible route for customers without fibre, but the source does not say how widely it will be available or which customers qualify. Details about backup power, emergency calling and compatibility with individual care alarms must be confirmed with the relevant provider and equipment supplier. The stated January 31 date is Openreach’s current position; the report provides no separate government confirmation that every customer’s migration will be complete by then.
Contact Providers Before January
Customers who still use a landline should contact their communications provider and ask whether their service is PSTN-based, what digital or alternative service will replace it, and whether any connected equipment needs attention. Those using care alarms, monitored security systems or payment devices should check with both their communications provider and the equipment supplier, and arrange any required testing before the deadline.
Businesses should audit all analogue connections, including lines used by equipment rather than staff for calls, and agree a migration plan with their provider. Openreach’s warning is that complex work may require coordination and engineering support, so delaying could leave less time to resolve problems. The next key milestone is the scheduled retirement on January 31, 2027; providers’ guidance and the status of remaining vulnerable or specialist connections will determine how the change affects individual customers.
Key Questions
When is the UK PSTN network scheduled to switch off?
Openreach says the legacy network is scheduled to be retired on January 31, 2027, and that the deadline will not be postponed.
Will every landline handset stop working?
Traditional PSTN service is being retired, but customers who want to keep a home phone can generally move to a digital voice service and connect a handset to a broadband router. Customers should confirm the option available for their address with their provider.
What should I do if I have a care alarm or security system?
Contact your communications provider and the alarm or equipment supplier promptly. Ask whether the device uses a PSTN connection, whether it needs replacement or reconfiguration, and how it will operate during a power or broadband outage.
What happens if my home does not have fibre broadband?
Openreach has said some customers without fibre may be moved to SOTAP for Analog, which uses exchange equipment to support continued use of an existing phone line. Availability and eligibility are not detailed in the report, so check with your provider.
Who should businesses contact about remaining analogue lines?
Businesses should contact their communications provider and relevant equipment suppliers, identify every PSTN-connected service and arrange a migration plan. Openreach says complex connections may require coordination and testing before the deadline.
Source: theregister.com
