All good things eventually come to an end, you may well have heard some murmurings about the UK’s analogue PSTN network being switched off by January 2027. Or, as we’ll discover, maybe you haven’t before today.
But it’s true. Openreach, the organisation that maintains Britain’s telecoms infrastructure, is retiring its copper landline network by the end of 2025.
Yet telephony isn’t the only thing that’s changing.
Wait, What’s Happening?
In January 2027, the UK’s analogue, copper “landline” telephony network (the PSTN) will be switched off in favour of digital, fibre broadband connectivity. Some telephony providers will likely cease their analogue services before this date. This will affect any services that rely on the PSTN network, including landline phones, ISDN telephony systems, ADSL internet connectivity, and more – as we’ll discuss below.
For a more detailed explanation of what’s happening and why, check out our recent guide, Everything You Need to Know About the Big PSTN Switch-Off in January 2027.
The switch-off is obviously massive news, and something that will affect a huge majority of businesses and households across the UK. According to the Switch On to the Switch Off survey from March 2021, 46% of businesses had no clue that their analogue telephony services would be completely defunct by January 2027. A different 2021 study suggested that a third of SMEs weren’t aware of the copper line withdrawal. We’d wager that most of the general public are still unaware of this change, over two years later.
7 Services You Might Not Realise Will Be Affected by the PSTN Switch Off
Though the PSTN network is largely known as the network that provides analogue telephony, the big switch-off will affect far more than just your Nana’s landline phone.
This iceberg analogy published on Open Access Government is a great way to think about the implications of the switch off. Yes, it will affect landline phones, but the PSTN has been such a fixture in our lives that countless existing services and products use it in some way. BT’s interesting infographic also shows the extent of affected services.
So here are 7 services that will be majorly or totally impacted by the PSTN switch-off.
”Standard” Fibre Broadband
If your premises uses a fibre broadband connection, but it isn’t “full fibre” broadband, then you’ll need to upgrade before the PSTN deadline.
Why? Well, “traditional” fibre broadband uses high-speed fibre cables to connect your local exchange to the green telecoms box at the bottom of your street, but the connection between that cabinet and each individual property is still standard copper cable. This is called “fibre to the cabinet” (FTTC) connectivity, and as you’ll notice, it still involves copper cable infrastructure – even if it is only at the last leg of the journey.
In order to continue using broadband internet, any premises – residential or commercial – will need to upgrade to full fibre broadband before the switch off. Your ISP may be in touch to offer you an upgrade, but it may be worth proactively reaching out to them ahead of time, or even shopping around!
If you’re nearing the end of your business broadband contract, give us a call to see if we can provide a future-proof full fibre service in your area.
Analogue Phone Systems, Hardware & Extensions
Don’t panic! We’re not saying you’ll have to wave goodbye to the phone numbers and extensions that your clients know and love! But if your current phone system is a simple analogue line, or you rely on an analogue-based phone system like ISDN, you’ll need to move your telephony over to a digital VoIP system ASAP.
However, we implore you – don’t leave it till the last minute, especially if you’re looking to replace a complex phone system.
Replacing an analogue phone system with a VoIP solution often involves a lot of planning, execution, and disruption. Not only will your new provider have to translate your existing call handling logic over to the new system, but your teams will have to re-learn how to take, make, and transfer calls. This can be no mean feat!
However, if you’ve been limping along with an old, clunky phone system for a while now, the PSTN switch-off is a great opportunity to upgrade to a modern, flexible VoIP solution.
Emergency Lift Lines
Safety standards dictate that any lift installed since 1999 needs to have a working emergency alarm system. This system is effectively an emergency-alert-slash-auto-dialler that connects any imperilled lift passenger(s) with a rescue service. This auto-dialler generally requires a PSTN line with an analogue dial tone to operate.
Lift provider Stannah advises caution around simply jumping to internet-based VoIP telephony for emergency lift alarms, chiefly because if your power goes out, so does the power to the router that connects your VoIP services to the outside world. This can be addressed by investing in an uninterruptible power supply (effectively a big battery) to power that router when a power cut strikes.
But there is another, simpler alternative here – using a mains-powered mobile connectivity (GSM) solution with an emergency battery. Instead of connecting to an analogue phone line or to the internet, this effectively uses a SIM card to operate your emergency lift services over a mobile connection (as mobile telephony and connectivity is unaffected by the PSTN switch-off).
Our advice is to act soon and ask your lift provider how they intend to keep your lifts safe and operational.
Managed Security, Alarm, and Telehealth Systems
Older managed security and alarm systems may still use analogue telephony to communicate with the relevant security monitoring centre. This can include managed services like CCTV, intruder alarms, and fire monitoring systems. Obviously, any services that rely on the PSTN network will need to be replaced with a digital option before the cut-off to avoid disruption.
Systems that have been installed in the past few years are likely to be digital already, but it always pays to check in with your provider to see if an update is needed.
It’s unlikely that many lone worker alarms or monitors will be affected by the PSTN switch-off as many of them operate using separate technology like GSM mobile connectivity and/or GPS – but it’s not totally out of the realms of possibility. Be aware that the UK’s mobile networks are hoping to switch off 3G connectivity soon, too – some mobile networks have already started the 3G switch off at the time of writing. So, we recommend chatting to your lone worker systems provider about the implications of both switch-offs!
Also worth noting are personal “telecare” alarms which support those with disabilities or infirmities to live independently. If you operate in the care industry or you know any of the around 1.8 million telecare users in the UK, make sure all parties are aware of the coming change and ensure that they’re using a future-proof solution wherever needed. (See “vulnerable customers” here)
IoT & Industrial Monitoring Tech
There are countless Internet of Things and Industrial Control Systems out there in the wild today, helping us live convenient, safe, data-enriched lives. It’s a tech space that spans across numerous devices – from factory-floor industrial control systems, remote sensors out in the field, automatic conveyor belts, robotic actuators, all the way down to smart watches and voice-operated speakers!
It’s impossible to discuss how the PSTN switch-off will affect every single type of IoT/SCADA device that’s out there in the wild, but we can impart some general awareness.
Hao Shi, formerly of Wireless Logic Group, points out that the utilities industry uses PSTN-connected industrial control systems extensively to monitor and manage often quite remote infrastructure. He adds that “Ideally, replacement connectivity will improve efficiency, but a new technology also provides the opportunity to build on existing capabilities. This could, for example, be by providing additional insight through detailed analytics.” We totally agree.
Our advice here is to establish how each of your IoT devices connect, flag those that rely on analogue connectivity, and explore your options; maybe by speaking to your provider, or to independent connectivity partners. Depending on the tech in question, it may be as simple as switching to a mobile SIM, or it may require a bit more thought.
But when you come to digitise your analogue IoT estate, you may be missing a trick if you simply replace like-for-like functionality. This may be an opportunity to gather more data, increase control, and enhance the scale of your IoT operations.
Franking Machines
Ah, the humble franking machine. If your organisation relies on a mailroom with a franking machine, check whether your trusty device is digital or analogue. Digital machines will generally connect to your network through an Ethernet or Wi-Fi connection, meaning they won’t be impacted by the PSTN switch-off.
However, analogue franking machines depend on analogue landline connectivity in order to receive price updates and generally “phone home”. If snail mail is still a big part of your business, work with your franking provider to upgrade to a digital device ahead of time.
Fax Machines
I’m sure there will be some disappointed faxophiles out there, and it pains us to break this to them, but fax is dead. The UK Government recently voted to remove telephony providers’ obligations to provide facsimile services, likely in light of the forthcoming PSTN switch-off and how much our use of telecoms has changed over the years.
Fax technology relies on analogue copper-line telephony. You can send faxes digitally now, but few bother when email is such a simple and universal option. So if you have processes that rely on fax, you really should think about modernising.
If you do business abroad, be aware that not all countries are on the same page about fax. 43% of companies still use faxes in Germany, it’s still seen as an essential communication method in Japan; odd, considering both countries are actually ahead of us in the digital switchover stakes! North America seems to be a growing market for fax services, too.
For those who still have to be firmly seated aboard the fax train, there are still post-switch-off options available to you, like Fax over IP (FoIP) and email-to-fax. Communicate with your fax provider and any fax-loving contacts abroad about the PSTN switch off and come up with a plan of action that works for everyone.
The Risk of Inaction
The PSTN switch-off isn’t just something that you can ignore or opt out of. It’s happening to us all, and we all need to be prepared. Ready or not, the copper network will be switched off in January 2027 and any analogue connectivity will be switched off with it. And don’t forget, Some telephony providers may even hit the big, red “off” button well before this date.
This change might be quite disruptive and labour intensive for some organisations, so we recommend acting now to give yourself as much time as possible beforehand. And the sooner you act, the sooner you will be able to benefit from future-focused technologies like full-fibre broadband and VoIP-driven Unified Communications, making you more efficient.
And the more efficient you are, the happier your clients will be!
Need any help in making the move to digital? Just Connectivity is here to help – request a callback from our expert team today!