What happens to my landline in 2027?

On a digital service, the phone generally connects through provider equipment rather than receiving an analogue voice signal directly from the old wall socket. Depending on the router and service, an existing handset may plug into the router or an adapter may be required. Check the exact instructions supplied with your service before moving cables.

A move to digital voice does not automatically mean changing your telephone number. Number transfer is commonly supported, but it depends on the specific line, provider and order. If the number is important to you, state that at the start of the order and keep the old service active until the transfer process is confirmed.

The technical term you may hear is Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP. In practice, the provider manages the service while the customer continues to make and receive calls with a telephone. You should not need to configure network settings just to use a normal provider-managed digital home-phone service.

Routers and fibre equipment need mains electricity. That means a digital landline can stop during a power cut unless there is backup power. If the household relies on the landline for emergency contact because mobile service is unavailable or unsuitable, tell the provider before migration and ask what resilience arrangement applies.

Equipment that uses tones, line voltage or other characteristics of the analogue network may not behave in the same way on a digital service. This includes some telecare and alarm systems. Do not test a safety-critical alarm by simply unplugging the old line; contact the device provider and arrange a controlled compatibility check.

Before changing: list every device on the phone line; decide whether you want to keep the number; note any vulnerability, telecare or emergency-call dependency; check broadband availability; and ask who will provide the router, adapter and setup support. Keeping those five points together avoids most of the confusion around the 2027 change.