The old copper phone network in the UK is being switched off. Openreach has set 31 January 2027 as the final date to move lines off it, and after that the traditional landline and ISDN services that many small businesses still rely on will stop being sold or supported in the normal way.
If your business still has BT or other copper landlines, ISDN, or an old phone system sitting in a cupboard, you need to move before then. The good news is that the move is usually simple, you keep your existing numbers, and for most offices it costs less each month than what you pay now.
We will check your setup for free and tell you exactly what needs to change. If you move to us, we transfer your numbers and set everything up at no charge.
Book a free switch-off check
Fill in the short form below or call us. An engineer will look at your current lines and tell you what needs to move, in plain English, on the first call.
What is actually being switched off
The Public Switched Telephone Network, usually called PSTN, is the copper network that has carried UK phone calls for decades. ISDN, which many offices use for several lines at once, runs on the same infrastructure. Both are being retired and replaced with calls over the internet, known as VoIP.
Openreach has confirmed the dates. Migration orders have to be in by 31 January 2027. Lines that have not moved by then go onto a temporary emergency service from February 2027, which is limited and costs more than a modern phone system. It is a safety net, not a plan.
Hundreds of thousands of business premises had still not moved as of autumn 2026, so if you have not done anything yet, you are not alone. But the closer it gets to the deadline, the busier every provider and engineer will be.
Is your business affected?
You are probably affected if any of these apply:
- You pay BT, or another provider, line rental for a traditional landline
- Your office has ISDN2 or ISDN30 lines
- You have an older phone system with a box on the wall or in a comms cupboard
- Your alarm, lift emergency phone, door entry, franking machine or card terminal connects through a phone line
That last one catches a lot of people out. Alarms, lift lines and card machines often sit on a copper line nobody remembers, and they can stop working on the switch-off date. Part of our check is finding those lines before they cause a problem.
What moving to us looks like
We set you up on a hosted business phone system. Your calls run over your existing broadband, your phones can be desk phones, a mobile app or a laptop, and the system is managed by us.
- £15 per user per month, which covers the system, hosting, management and support
- Free setup and number transfer, so you keep every number you have now
- No downtime planned during the move, because we port numbers to a scheduled date and test before we switch
- Engineers across England, Scotland and Wales if anything needs doing on site, including alarm and lift lines
- Support from a real engineer, not a call centre script
If you already have a system you like, we can often keep it and just move the lines. We support 3CX, FreePBX and other platforms, and we also provide SIP trunks for businesses that want to keep their own phone system. You can read more about how we handle a phone system migration.
How the switch-off check works
- You fill in the form below or call us.
- An engineer calls you, usually within one working day, and goes through what lines and equipment you have.
- We tell you what needs to move, what it will cost each month, and anything else on a copper line that needs attention.
- If you go ahead, we book a date to transfer your numbers and set everything up for you.
There is no obligation. If it turns out you are already sorted, we will tell you that too.
Book your free switch-off check
Further reading
- PSTN switch-off 2027: what UK businesses need to do now
- Will my alarm, lift phone and card machine work after the switch-off?
- ISDN replacement: your options
- 14 features you get when you leave your landline behind
Common questions
Do I have to move before 31 January 2027?
That is the final date for migration orders. Lines that have not moved go onto a temporary emergency service that is more expensive and limited, so it is far better to move on your own terms before then.
Will I lose my phone numbers?
No. We transfer your existing numbers to the new system. Your customers will not notice any difference.
Do I need new phones?
Sometimes. Many businesses use a mix of desk phones and the mobile and desktop apps. We will tell you during the check whether your current handsets can be reused.
What about my broadband?
Calls run over your internet connection, so we will check it is suitable. Most business broadband handles a small office’s calls without any trouble.
What happens to my alarm or card machine?
Many of these can be moved to a digital or mobile connection. We will identify them during the check and tell you what each one needs.