Can you get broadband without landline?
Yes, broadband without landline is possible, and it is becoming more common. MoneySavingExpert says you technically do not need a landline for broadband, although packages that require one tend to be the cheapest.
The reason is the old phone network. Ofcom says the traditional telephone network, known as the PSTN, is old and becoming harder and more expensive to maintain, so it is being replaced. BT has decided to retire its PSTN by January 2027, and Openreach gives the date as 31 January 2027, which is under three months away.
For years the line came with the broadband, so most of us never asked whether we wanted it. That is the Do-Nothing Default in its purest form. This guide covers broadband without landline plans, and the rights that sit around the switch. It draws on Ofcom’s landline switchover advice, Ofcom’s guidance on protecting customers during the migration, Openreach’s own switch off page and an MSE guide updated on 15 December 2025, all read on 5 November 2026.
Which providers offer broadband without landline?
MSE says more providers are offering broadband only packages in preparation for the switch to full fibre by the end of 2026. It says these packages tend either to leave out a landline altogether or to include a digital landline service.
The providers MSE lists as offering broadband without landline are Virgin Media, BT, Plusnet, Hyperoptic and Community Fibre. MSE notes that Hyperoptic and Community Fibre cover London. Availability depends on your address, so check what reaches your home before you plan around any one name.
That is a third party list of broadband without landline providers, not an endorsement from us, and offers change. A comparison shows what is on sale where you live today.
Is broadband without landline cheaper?
Not always, and broadband without landline can cost more. MSE says it may seem that skipping the landline would cost less, but packages that include a landline are often cheaper than standalone broadband only options.
MSE’s advice is that if you do not expect to use a landline, it is worth comparing the cost of broadband only against broadband with a landline, because the answer varies. That is a general point from MSE, not a promise about any particular deal.
If you have no active phone line and a package needs one, MSE says you may need a line installed. It says that could cost up to £140 if you do not already have a landline, so check for fees before you order.
Key takeaways
- Broadband without landline is possible, because you do not technically need a landline, according to MSE.
- BT is retiring its old landline network by January 2027, with Openreach giving the date as 31 January 2027.
- Packages with a landline are often cheaper, so compare both, says MSE.
- Tell your provider if you rely on a landline for emergencies or an alarm.
What does the digital landline switch mean for your rights?
Ofcom says that for most customers the change should be straightforward. Your digital landline works over a broadband connection, so the phone plugs into your router rather than the socket on the wall.
Your number moves with you, and you should continue to make and receive calls in much the same way. Our guide to keeping your landline number covers that in more detail. Some customers may need new equipment, such as a router or a handset, and Ofcom says the provider will arrange what is needed to keep the main telephone working.
Ofcom says you do not need to act until your provider contacts you, unless you want to move to a digital line sooner. When they do contact you, respond, because the move happens either way and it is better done on your terms. If you do not have broadband, Ofcom says your provider will supply a connection and you should not pay extra for the digital phone service on its own.
Other providers that use BT’s network must follow the same timescale, and Ofcom says Virgin Media plans to follow a similar one. Ofcom also makes the point that the decision to close the old network was the industry’s, not Ofcom’s or the government’s, and that Ofcom’s role is to limit the disruption.
What if you rely on your landline?
This is where your rights matter most. A digital landline needs mains electricity and will not work in a power cut unless there is a battery back up.
Ofcom’s rules require providers to offer a minimum of one hour of power resilience in a power cut, and to provide it free of charge to customers who need the landline to call the emergency services. That covers people who have no mobile phone, or no reliable mobile signal at home. Tell your provider before the change if this applies to you.
Ofcom also says to tell your provider in advance if you have a care alarm, health pendant or security alarm that uses your phone line. Those devices may need replacing or reconfiguring, and the provider should tell you what to do, including informing your alarm provider. Check compatibility with the device maker as well, rather than assuming it carries over.
MSE makes a related point about broadband without landline. If you drop the landline entirely, you will not be able to use a phone to make and receive calls, even in an emergency. For some people, such as someone without a mobile in an area with poor signal, that matters.
What should you check before choosing broadband without landline?
With broadband without landline, start with how you would call for help if the power or the broadband failed. A mobile that works indoors at home is the simplest answer, and it is the test Ofcom applies when deciding who must be offered free back up.
Then check the price of broadband without landline against a package with a landline, and look at any installation or set up fees. If anything in the house uses the phone line, ask the provider and the device maker before you switch.
If something goes wrong, contact your provider first and ask them to fix it, then raise a formal complaint if you are not happy. Providers have to belong to an Ofcom approved alternative dispute resolution scheme, which you can take an unresolved complaint to.
Our guides on the digital landline switch, keeping your landline number and the telecare checklist cover the detail. Our main landline switch off guide sets out the timetable.
Frequently asked questions about broadband without landline
- Do I need a landline to get broadband?
- MSE says you technically do not need a landline for broadband, though packages that require one tend to be the cheapest. Availability depends on your address.
- Will I keep my phone number?
- Your number moves with you when your landline goes digital. If you drop the landline altogether, ask your provider what happens to the number before you order.
- What happens to my landline in a power cut?
- A digital landline needs mains electricity and will not work in a power cut without a battery back up. Ofcom’s rules require providers to offer a minimum of one hour of power resilience, free of charge to customers who need the landline to call the emergency services.
- When is the old landline network being switched off?
- BT is retiring its PSTN by January 2027, and Openreach gives the date as 31 January 2027. Providers using BT’s network follow the same timescale, and Ofcom says Virgin Media plans a similar one.
Sources
- Ofcom, Your landline is going digital: what you need to know. Supports the PSTN being old and harder and more expensive to maintain, BT retiring its PSTN by January 2027 with other providers on BT’s network following the same timescale, Virgin Media planning a similar timescale, not needing to act until your provider contacts you, the provider arranging any new equipment such as a router or handset, a digital phone only working in a power cut with battery back up, and telling your provider about care alarms, health pendants and security alarms on the line.
- Ofcom, Protecting customers during the migration to digital landlines, published 23 January 2024. Supports the minimum of one hour of power resilience and that it must be provided free of charge to consumers who need the landline to call the emergency services.
- Openreach, Switching off the PSTN across the UK. Supports the final date of 31 January 2027.
- MoneySavingExpert, Do you need a landline for broadband?, updated 15 December 2025. Supports not technically needing a landline, packages requiring one tending to be the cheapest, the list of providers offering broadband only and the London note on Hyperoptic and Community Fibre, broadband with a landline often being cheaper than standalone broadband only, the line installation cost of up to £140, the preparation for full fibre by the end of 2026, and the warning that broadband only leaves you unable to make calls in an emergency.
Checked 5 November 2026. Ofcom’s landline switchover page shows no last updated date, and the MSE guide was last updated in December 2025, so check both for anything newer.
