The 2027 phone line switch-off: what your business needs to do

The UK’s traditional telephone network, the copper-based analogue (PSTN) and ISDN lines many businesses have used for decades, is being retired. The industry’s final switch-off date is currently scheduled for January 2027. If your business still relies on a traditional line, now is the time to plan, not to wait for the date to arrive.

Dates and rollout details can change, and providers are moving customers in stages, so check the latest position with your telephone and broadband provider. This guide explains what it means in practice.

What is changing?

Instead of a dedicated copper line carrying voice, calls will travel over the internet. Your business keeps its phone number and can keep making and receiving calls, but the technology underneath is different: it needs a reliable internet connection, and your phone equipment must work with it.

What might be affected?

It is not just desk phones. Anything that uses a traditional phone line may need attention:

• Your main business phone system, especially older ISDN-based systems
• Alarm and monitoring lines (intruder, fire, lift and emergency phones)
• Card payment terminals that dial out over a phone line
• Fax or fax-to-email services
• Door entry systems and CCTV or building systems with a line connection
• Any other device you have forgotten about, usually found in a comms cupboard

How to prepare

1. Find out what is on your lines. Ask your provider for a list, then walk the premises. Look for anything that is plugged into a phone socket.
2. Ask your providers what they plan. Telephone and alarm suppliers should tell you what they are doing for you. Do not assume it will happen automatically.
3. Check your internet connection. Voice over the internet needs a connection that is reliable and has enough capacity. Weak Wi-Fi or an overloaded router will show up in call quality. Our networking and Wi-Fi team can check this.
4. Choose your replacement. For most small businesses, a modern cloud VoIP phone system is the simplest option, and your existing numbers can usually be moved.
5. Plan the changeover. Test calls, keep the old line until you are sure, and brief your team before the day.

What about power cuts?

Traditional lines kept working in a power cut. Internet-based calling depends on your router and equipment staying powered. For alarms and anything safety-critical, ask your provider about battery backup, and consider a mobile fallback for essential calls.

We help businesses across Dorset and Hampshire move from traditional lines to modern phone systems, including checking the network first. See our business communications service, or talk to us about what you have today.