How long is left until the PSTN switch-off?
Analogue phone lines are being switched off across the UK on 31 January 2027. Here is exactly how long you have, the price rises coming before it, and the things people forget are still plugged into a copper line.
Time left until the PSTN is switched off
Counting down to 31 January 2027, when BT Group retires the PSTN and Openreach withdraws all Wholesale Line Rental products.
Programme start--31 Jan 2027
Milestones between now and switch-off
Final PSTN price rise
The last of three Openreach increases takes effect: +20% in April 2026, +40% in July 2026 and +40% in October 2026. The net effect is roughly double the 2025 line rental cost. If you are still on copper, this is the point where staying put gets expensive.
Emergency Voice launches
Openreach launches Emergency Voice as a safety net for vulnerable users who cannot move to a digital line in time. It is a fallback, not a replacement for a properly planned migration.
PSTN retired
BT Group retires the PSTN and Openreach withdraws all Wholesale Line Rental products. Analogue phone lines stop working. Anything still plugged into one — phone systems, lift lines, alarms, door entry, card machines, fax — stops working with it.
Dates per Openreach and industry reporting of the revised timetable, originally 31 December 2025 and extended by 13 months (Spitfire). As at 31 July 2026 around 1.5 million lines were still on the old copper network.
Five things people forget are on a phone line
Lifts and alarms
Lift emergency lines, intruder alarms and fire panels are often on a dedicated analogue line nobody has looked at in years.
Door entry
Intercoms and gate systems frequently dial out over PSTN. They need replacing or converting before the line goes.
Card machines
Older PDQ terminals dial out over a phone line. Most modern replacements use broadband or mobile data instead.
Broadband on ADSL/FTTC
If your broadband still rides on a copper line, the underlying product changes too — usually to SoGEA or full fibre.
Your phone system
On-premise PBXs connected to analogue or ISDN lines need SIP trunks or a full move to a hosted system.
Power cuts
A digital line needs power and broadband. Plan a backup — mobile failover or a battery unit — before you switch.
Not sure what you have? Read our plain-English explainer on the PSTN switch-off or the step-by-step small business switch-off guide. When you are ready to move, we handle the phone system and the line together.
Not sure what is still on a copper line?
We audit what you have, tell you plainly what needs moving and when, and handle the phone system and the broadband together. No jargon, no pressure.
More free tools: Cost of Downtime Calculator Cyber Security Self-Assessment Broadband Checker