One million UK households warned to upgrade landlines before 2027

Summarised from 4 outlets · Updated 2 Nov, 07:29 · Archive

Around one million UK households and businesses must switch from analogue landlines to digital before Openreach shuts down the PSTN network on 31 January 2027.

BT-owned Openreach is phasing out the Public Switched Telephone Network, an analogue system in place since the 1870s, with full shutdown set for 31 January 2027. The move will leave around one million residents and businesses without service unless they upgrade to digital lines.

Moving to digital is expected to provide more reliable service, better-quality calls and improved blocking of unwanted calls. The UK government says the transition is necessary due to declining reliability of the copper-based PSTN. Ofcom has said most users are unlikely to experience significant disruption.

Those who do not upgrade in time could lose service or be transferred to a basic emergency phone system. They would lose features like voicemail. James Lilley, director of customer migrations at Openreach, acknowledged the challenge: 'It's very hard to get [customers] to read and react and do something.'

The original switch-off date was 31 December 2025, but concerns about vulnerable and rural users, particularly those relying on telecare alarms, prompted a revised timeline. Under the PSTN Charter, providers have agreed not to migrate customers using telecare devices unless their equipment is confirmed compatible with digital lines.

Telecom companies including BT are supplying vulnerable customers with free back-up battery packs to ensure phones remain operational during power outages. The traditional PSTN does not depend on mains electricity and continues to function during power cuts, unlike digital systems. Openreach has stated there will not be a single day when all customers lose service.

How it is being reported

• One million people warned to act before major UK landline changeOne million UK households and businesses risk losing landline access as Openreach retires the PSTN.Gazette & Herald · 2 Nov, 06:51
• One million people warned to act before major UK landline changeOne million UK households and businesses risk losing landline access as Openreach retires the PSTN.Swindon Advertiser · 2 Nov, 06:51
• One million people warned to act before major UK landline changeOne million UK households and businesses risk losing landline access as Openreach retires the PSTN.This Is Wiltshire · 2 Nov, 06:51
• One million people warned to act before major UK landline changeOne million UK households and businesses risk losing landline access as Openreach retires the PSTN.Wiltshire Times · 2 Nov, 06:51

In this story: Openreach · BT · UK government · Ofcom · James Lilley

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log