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

The change concerns the old analogue Public Switched Telephone Network, commonly called the PSTN. Traditional phone calls have historically travelled over this network. As it retires, providers are moving customers to digital voice services, where calls are carried using an internet connection. Your phone number may still look the same and you can still use a home telephone, but the equipment and route behind the call are different.

Openreach has said its old phone network is due to be retired on 31 January 2027. Individual customer migrations happen through communications providers, so do not disconnect a working service simply because the date is approaching. Instead, identify who supplies your current landline, ask what migration is planned for your line and check what equipment you use before any change is made.

Do not think only about the handset. Some homes use the telephone line for personal alarms, telecare, monitored alarms, fax machines, door-entry systems or other specialist devices. Compatibility with a digital service must be checked with the device supplier. Known telecare users require particular protection during migration, so tell both your telecom provider and telecare provider before anything is changed.

A traditional analogue phone could often continue working during a local power cut because the line was powered from the network. Digital voice normally depends on powered equipment such as a router and, on full fibre, an optical network terminal. If you rely on your landline to contact emergency services and do not have a reliable alternative, tell your provider so that appropriate resilience can be considered.

Number transfer is often possible, but it should be checked for the specific order rather than assumed. If keeping your number matters, make that clear before the new service is finalised and do not cancel the old line independently unless your provider tells you to. A coordinated switch gives the best chance of preserving the number and reducing disruption.

Write down your current provider, telephone number, any devices connected to the line and whether anyone in the household depends on the landline during emergencies. Then check broadband availability at the address and discuss the correct digital home-phone option. You do not need to buy the fastest broadband simply because your landline is changing; choose a connection that fits the household and the services that need to work.