In this guide
Short answer: by 31 January 2027, the UK’s old analogue phone network will be switched off and landline calls will run over broadband instead. For most homes the change is simple, but you should check your broadband, any alarms or telecare equipment, what happens in a power cut and that you keep your number.
For decades, a landline meant a copper wire from your home to the telephone exchange. That network, called the PSTN, is being retired by BT and Openreach. It will be replaced by digital phone services that make calls over your internet connection. The deadline was originally December 2025, but it was extended to give households, telecare providers and phone companies more time.
What is changing?
Your phone number, your handset and the way you make calls can all stay the same. What changes is the technology behind the call. Instead of running over a copper line powered from the exchange, calls travel as data over your broadband, through your router. Your provider might call this Digital Voice, or simply voice over IP.
In many areas, Openreach has already stopped selling new analogue lines, which is known as a stop sell. Providers have also been moving customers across in stages, so you may already have been contacted.
The biggest practical difference: power cuts
Old landlines worked in a power cut because the exchange supplied the power. A digital landline needs your router and phone adapter to have electricity, so it will not work in a power cut unless there is a backup. Ofcom requires providers to make sure customers can contact emergency services for at least one hour in a power cut, usually with a battery unit or a mobile phone. Customers who depend on their landline, for example people who use telecare or have no reliable mobile signal, should be offered free battery backup. If this applies to you or someone you look after, ask your provider before you migrate.
A simple checklist
| Check | Why it matters | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Broadband | Digital voice runs over it | Confirm you have a working connection and ask what happens if you do not |
| Alarms and telecare | Many connect through the phone line | Ask the supplier if they work on digital voice, see our guide below |
| Power cut plan | The line will not work without power | Arrange battery backup and keep a charged mobile |
| Your number | You want to keep it | Make sure it moves with you, see our number guide |
| Handsets | Most standard phones will work | Check with your provider if you use an older or special phone |
| Business lines | ISDN lines are also ending | Plan a move to VoIP or a hosted phone system |
Watch out for scams
Scammers use big changes like this to catch people out. Your provider will contact you about moving to a digital service, and it will not ask for your bank details to complete a switch. If someone phones unexpectedly claiming your line is about to be cut off, hang up and contact your provider on a number you trust.
Digital voice or VoIP: is there a difference?
The technology is the same. A provider’s own digital voice service is simple and managed for you. If you want more flexibility, such as a number that rings on a desk phone and a mobile, several extensions or a small business phone system, a VoIP service gives you more control. Our plain-English guide, what is VoIP and how does it work, explains the options.
Next steps
- Wait for your provider’s migration notice, or contact them now to ask about timing.
- List everything connected to your phone line.
- Read whether your alarm and telecare will still work.
- Confirm that your number will move, using our guide to keeping your landline number.
- Set up a power cut plan.
Ofcom and GOV.UK both publish guidance on the switch-off, and they are the best places to check the latest official details.
HomeIT Services helps households and small businesses across Essex move to digital voice and VoIP, and sorts out routers, phones and call quality along the way. See VoIP phone systems and digital landline setup, or contact us if you are in Southend-on-Sea, Brentwood or elsewhere in Essex.
Frequently asked questions
The UK’s traditional analogue phone network, the PSTN, is due to be switched off by 31 January 2027. The date was moved back from December 2025 to give households, telecare providers and phone companies more time.
Your phone provider should contact you about moving to a digital service. It is sensible to check your broadband, any alarms or telecare equipment, your power cut plan and that your number will move with you.
Not by default. A digital landline needs power for your router and phone. Providers must make sure customers can contact emergency services for at least one hour in a power cut, and offer free battery backup to those who depend on their landline.
In almost all cases yes. If your provider migrates you to digital voice, your number moves with you. If you change provider, ask them to port your number.
Yes. Criminals use the change to phone or text people. Your provider will not ask for your bank details to complete a switch. If in doubt, hang up and call your provider on a number you trust.
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