Millions of households across the UK are heading toward a major change in how they make telephone calls, and the deadline is getting closer. By January 31, 2027, the country’s traditional analog telephone network will be retired, meaning customers who still rely on the old technology must move to a digital alternative.
With just 83 days remaining as of November 9, 2026, households and businesses are under growing pressure to prepare. However, this does not mean that landline phones are disappearing completely. People will still be able to make calls from their home phones, but the technology carrying those calls is changing.
The transition could be relatively simple for some households. For others, particularly older people, people who depend on medical alarm systems, and businesses using older equipment, there are important things to check before the deadline.
Here’s what you need to know.
The UK Is Retiring Its Traditional Telephone Network
The change involves something called the Public Switched Telephone Network, commonly known as PSTN. This technology has supported traditional landline telephone calls for decades.
The UK telecommunications industry announced plans to retire the aging network in November 2017. The decision was made because maintaining the old infrastructure has become increasingly difficult and expensive.
The problem is not simply that the technology is old. Telecommunications companies are finding it increasingly difficult to source replacement parts, and repairs sometimes depend on recycling equipment from sections of the network that have already been retired.
Regulatory figures also highlight the challenges. Ofcom recorded a 45% increase in reported PSTN incidents during 2024, with more than 2,600 major incidents recorded during 2024/25.
The replacement will use digital technology, including Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Instead of traveling through the traditional telephone network, calls will usually travel through an internet connection.
Openreach, which operates the UK’s largest landline network, has confirmed that January 31, 2027, is the deadline for retiring its traditional telephone lines.
Your Home Phone Is Not Going Away
If you enjoy having a traditional telephone on a table in your living room, you don’t need to throw it away just yet.
The biggest misconception surrounding the announcement is that people will no longer be able to use landline phones. That is not what the change means.
Most customers will still be able to use their existing telephone handsets after switching. The main difference is where they plug them in.
Instead of connecting a telephone directly to the traditional wall socket, customers will generally connect it to their broadband router.
Customers should also be able to keep their existing telephone numbers and continue making and receiving calls much as they do today.
Some households may need a new router, an adaptor or a replacement handset, depending on their existing equipment and provider.
The exact arrangements will depend on the telephone company managing the service.
Older People and Emergency Alarm Users Need to Be Careful
While the change should be straightforward for many households, it could create problems for people who depend on equipment connected to traditional telephone lines.
This includes personal emergency alarms, health pendants, telecare systems and some medical monitoring equipment.
For example, an older person might wear a pendant that allows them to contact an emergency monitoring center after falling or experiencing an emergency. If that device relies on the old telephone network, it may not work correctly after the switch unless it is checked and upgraded.
Security alarms, door-entry systems, CCTV equipment and other connected devices may also require attention.
Customers who use care alarms, health pendants or security equipment connected to their landlines should inform their telephone providers before switching.
The importance of proper planning became particularly clear in December 2025, when Ofcom fined Virgin Media £23.8 million after an investigation found it failed to protect vulnerable telecare customers during its migration program.
The regulator found that some customers were disconnected without receiving appropriate support, preventing their alarm devices from connecting to monitoring centers.
This is a reminder that switching technology should never come at the expense of people’s safety.
What Happens When the Electricity Goes Off?
Another important issue households should understand before moving to digital telephone services is power cuts.
Traditional analog landlines could often continue working during an electricity outage because the telephone network supplied power to the connected handset.
Digital landlines work differently. They generally depend on electricity to power the broadband router and telephone equipment.
If the electricity goes off, the phone may stop working too.
This could become a serious problem for someone who depends on a landline to contact emergency services and lacks a working mobile phone or reliable mobile signal.
Ofcom says providers must offer an appropriate backup solution free of charge to customers who depend on their landline for emergency calls and lack a working mobile phone or reliable signal.
The backup must provide at least one hour of operation during a power cut. Some providers offer solutions that can last longer.
Customers in this category should discuss their circumstances with their providers before migrating.
What If You Do Not Have Broadband?
Not everyone has a broadband subscription, and some people have deliberately kept a basic telephone-only package.
Fortunately, customers without broadband are not automatically expected to purchase an internet package simply to keep their home phones.
Some providers will offer an interim, dedicated landline service that lets customers keep using their existing phones while they move away from the old network.
These arrangements can remain available until a digital alternative becomes available or 2030, whichever comes first.
Customers should contact their providers to find out which options are available at their addresses.
Businesses Have More Than Telephone Handsets to Check
Households are not the only ones facing the transition. Businesses using older telephone infrastructure also need to prepare.
Some companies have equipment connected to traditional telephone lines without necessarily realizing it.
This can include payment terminals, fire alarms, security systems, lift emergency communication systems, fax machines and business telephone exchanges.
For example, a payment terminal that relies on an older telephone connection could experience problems if it is not upgraded or tested before the network closes.
Openreach reported on September 24, 2026, that approximately 1.2 million lines were still operating on its old analog network, including around 350,000 business premises.
The company has also introduced additional safeguards for eligible customers who have not completed the migration.
However, these should not be treated as a replacement for upgrading equipment.
What Should Landline Customers Do Before January 2027?
First, contact your current telephone provider. This could be BT, Sky, Virgin Media O2, Vodafone, KCOM, or another communications company.
Your provider should explain whether your service is affected and what arrangements are available.
Here are some practical steps worth taking:
- Check your telephone connection: Find out whether your home phone still uses the traditional analog network.
- Ask about your telephone number: Confirm that you can retain your existing number after switching.
- Check connected equipment: Identify any medical alarms, security systems or other devices that depend on your telephone line.
- Discuss power backup: If you rely on your landline during emergencies, ask about battery backup arrangements.
- Ask about installation costs: Find out whether replacement equipment or an engineer visit will be required.
- Help vulnerable relatives: Check whether older family members understand the change and have received communication from their providers.
Openreach advises customers to start early rather than waiting until the final weeks.
The January deadline specifically concerns the Openreach PSTN network. Other network operators, including Virgin Media O2 and KCOM, have their own retirement plans, and their dates may differ.
The bottom line is that Britain’s familiar home telephone is not disappearing. It is changing how it works. For most people, the adjustment should be manageable, but anyone relying on an older telephone connection or emergency equipment should check their arrangements now rather than discover a problem when the old network is finally retired.
