The analogue phone line switch-off: what UK businesses need to do
Traditional phone lines and ISDN are being switched off across the UK by January 2027. Here is how to check whether you are affected and how to move without losing your numbers.
The UK's copper telephone network is being retired. Openreach and BT are moving every line from the old analogue network (PSTN) and ISDN onto digital, internet-based calling. New analogue lines stopped being sold in 2023, and the final switch-off deadline is now January 2027.
For most businesses this is good news: internet calling is cheaper and far more flexible. But anything that still depends on an old line will stop working when it is switched off, so it pays to plan ahead.
Are you affected?
Almost certainly, in one way or another. Check your phone bill: if it mentions PSTN, WLR (wholesale line rental), analogue or ISDN lines, those lines will be switched off. You are also affected if your office uses a phone system that plugs into these lines.
It is not only phones. Look out for equipment that quietly uses a phone line:
- alarm and CCTV systems that dial out;
- card payment terminals and franking machines;
- lift emergency phones and door entry systems;
- fax machines.
Ask the supplier of each one whether it will work over a digital line, or what replacement they recommend.
What PSTN and ISDN actually are
PSTN (the Public Switched Telephone Network) is the traditional copper network that has carried phone calls for over a century. ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) is a digital service that runs over the same copper and was popular with businesses that needed several lines. Both are being replaced by VoIP, voice over internet protocol, which carries calls over your broadband connection.
What to do next
- List your lines and numbers. Note every number you use, including fax and alarm lines.
- Check your internet connection. Calls will run over it, so it needs to be reliable. A business fibre connection is ideal; we can help with that too.
- Choose a cloud phone system. A hosted PBX replaces the box in your comms cupboard with a service we run for you.
- Keep your numbers. You do not need new numbers. We move (port) your existing ones, and they keep working with your old provider until the switch.
What you gain by moving
A cloud phone system does far more than an old line ever could. With the Alphatalk cloud phone system you can:
- set timed diverts so calls go to mobiles outside office hours;
- ring several phones at once with call groups;
- greet callers with a menu that sends them to the right person;
- play music or your own messages while callers wait;
- call colleagues internally for free, wherever they are working.
Plans start at £4.99 per user a month with 1,000 free UK minutes, so for many businesses the switch also cuts the monthly bill.
Do not leave it to the last minute
As the deadline gets closer, installers and providers will get busier. Moving early means you choose the date, test everything properly and avoid a rushed changeover. If you are not sure where to start, call us on 0207 177 5000 and we will talk you through it.