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Useful answers before you buy, switch or call support.

Plain-English broadband, switching and Digital Voice guidance — including the January 2027 landline change and practical help for older customers and families.

01Latest OCCTA guides

2027 landline switch & broadband buying guides

UK landline switch-off 2027: what you need to do before January

The old Public Switched Telephone Network is due to retire on 31 January 2027. Most home-phone users will move to a digital voice service that uses broadband, so now is the time to check your phone, number, telecare equipment and power-cut needs.Read guide

What happens to my landline in 2027?

Your home phone does not have to disappear when the old phone network retires. The main change is that calls move from the analogue PSTN to a digital voice service, usually through your broadband router or other provider-supplied equipment.Read guide

Will a digital landline work during a power cut?

Usually not without backup power. Digital voice depends on powered equipment such as a router and, for full fibre, an ONT. If you rely on the landline for emergency calls and have no reliable alternative, tell your provider before migration.Read guide

Telecare, personal alarms and the digital landline switch

If a personal alarm or telecare device uses your old phone line, do not migrate it by assumption. Tell both providers and confirm that the alarm has a compatible, functioning solution before the analogue service is removed.Read guide

Can I keep my landline number after the digital switch?

Often, yes. Moving from an analogue landline to digital voice does not automatically require a new number, but number transfer depends on the specific service and order. Make number retention a requirement before the switch starts.Read guide

Helping Mum, Dad or a relative with the digital landline switch

Start with the person's real needs, not the technology. Check whether they use only the phone or also broadband, whether they have telecare, whether they need their existing number and how they would contact emergency services in a power cut.Read guide

Broadband for pensioners and older people: what actually matters?

The best broadband for an older customer is not automatically the fastest package. Prioritise a sensible monthly cost, simple equipment, reliable support, the right contract terms, any home-phone requirement and extra help where the customer is vulnerable or uses telecare.Read guide

Broadband social tariffs and Pension Credit: what to check

Social tariffs are lower-cost broadband or phone packages for eligible households receiving certain benefits. Ofcom says major providers include Pension Credit, and current social tariffs generally have low prices, small setup costs and no exit fee, but the exact provider and eligibility rules must be checked.Read guide

One Touch Switch: how switching broadband now works

For eligible residential broadband and landline switches, you normally contact the new provider and they arrange the switch. Your current provider then sends important information such as contract implications, while the providers coordinate the transfer.Read guide

Broadband deals UK: how to compare the deal, not just the advert

A good broadband deal combines the right speed, a fair total cost and terms that fit your household. Compare the monthly price, minimum term, setup and router costs, future price changes, estimated speeds and exit conditions before deciding.Read guide

Fibre broadband deals: compare the technology before the price

Before comparing fibre broadband deals, check whether the address can receive full-fibre FTTP or a copper-based fibre product such as FTTC/SOGEA. Then compare estimated speed, upload performance, installation, equipment and the total contract cost.Read guide

Broadband comparison checklist: 10 things to compare before you switch

Compare broadband on the exact address, estimated download and upload speed, total cost, contract length, price changes, setup and router charges, home-phone needs, installation, support and exit terms. That makes very different offers genuinely comparable.Read guide

Broadband speed test: how to test properly and understand the result

For the clearest broadband test, connect one capable device to the router by Ethernet, pause large downloads and tests on other devices, then record download, upload and latency. Compare that with a Wi-Fi test to see whether the bottleneck is the broadband line or the wireless network.Read guide

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