Openreach: UK landline phones will be switched off in 100 days, so make sure your connections are ready
Openreach reminds the legacy phone network is being officially switched off on January 31 2027, with no extensions.
BT's infrastructure arm, Openreach, has announced that the UK's legacy landline phone network will be switched off in just 100 days, on January 31, 2027. This Public Switched Telephone Network (PTSN) system is being retired in favor of digital, Internet Protocol (IP) fiber networks. The aging copper-based network is harder to maintain, more prone to faults, and unable to keep up with modern demands.
Openreach has already helped migrate around 15 million lines off the old copper-based network, but many systems still rely on PSTN connectivity, including point-of-sale terminals, fire and security alarms, and emergency personal care alarms for the elderly and vulnerable. Businesses and individuals are urged to check their connections and upgrade to digital systems before the deadline.
Failure to do so may result in limited service after the cutoff, or a temporary emergency voice-only service called Emergency Voice and Access Continuity (EVAc).
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