What is happening to your business landline?
Your business landline is moving off the old analogue network. GOV.UK says the Public Switched Telephone Network, or PSTN, is being switched off by the telecoms industry by January 2027, and landlines and other devices that rely on it will need upgrading to digital technologies.
For most people the voice side is simple. For a business it is rarely just the phone on the desk, because plenty of other kit hangs off the same line. This guide sets out what GOV.UK says, so you can check your own business landline before the deadline does it for you.
Leaving it until the last minute is the easy default. It is also the one that leaves the least room for problems.
Why is the business landline network being switched off?
GOV.UK says the PSTN has reached the end of its serviceable life. It says suppliers no longer make spare parts, and repairs increasingly rely on recycling parts from decommissioned parts of the network.
It also says Ofcom reported a 45% increase in PSTN incidents in 2024, and that there were over 2,600 major incidents on the PSTN in 2024 to 2025. Landline services will move to digital technologies that use the internet, such as Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP.
GOV.UK’s page was published on 28 May 2025 and last updated on 16 October 2026. As it stands now, it says over two thirds of UK landlines have already been upgraded to VoIP. In other words, this is not a change waiting to start. Most of the country has already been through it, and the remaining lines are the ones with the least time left.
What else depends on your business landline?
More than you might think. GOV.UK says the devices and systems affected include analogue phones, fire and other types of alarms, payment terminals, lifts and elevators, intercom systems and broadband services. It also mentions door entry systems and telecare devices.
The audit is yours to do. Walk the premises, note every device that uses a phone socket, and write down who supplies and maintains it.
A business landline can quietly hold up a lot of the working day: the shop alarm that calls a monitoring centre, the card machine on the counter, the phone in the lift. If one fails you notice straight away. That is why your business landline is a project with a date, not a job for whenever the provider writes.
GOV.UK says that if you are unsure how a device in your business will be affected, you should contact the equipment supplier or device manufacturer to find out whether it will work on a digital phone line.
Key takeaways
- GOV.UK says the PSTN is being switched off by the telecoms industry by January 2027.
- Over two thirds of UK landlines have already moved to VoIP, so the remaining lines have the least time left.
- Alarms, payment terminals, lifts, intercoms and analogue phones may all be affected.
- Providers are advising business customers to migrate at the earliest opportunity.
- Check each device with its supplier or manufacturer, not only with your phone provider.
What will moving your business landline involve?
It depends on your provider and the equipment you have. GOV.UK says that if you already have an internet connection, the change may be as simple as plugging your phone into your broadband router instead of the socket on the wall. In some cases an engineer visit may be needed to make sure devices are working correctly.
For businesses, GOV.UK is more cautious. It says you should check for devices that rely on the PSTN or ISDN, and that making the switch will likely mean upgrading or replacing existing systems and equipment.
GOV.UK also says communications providers will contact customers before a migration, and that the contact will come from the provider named on your bill. Be careful not to confuse its notice with marketing material. In some cases you may need to change provider if yours does not offer a voice service in future.
If you do not use broadband, GOV.UK says some providers offer an interim dedicated landline service, which lets you use your current landline as you do today until a digital solution is available or 2030, whichever comes sooner.
Three checks for your business landline before the switch
First, list everything that uses a phone line. Include the alarm, card machines, door entry and any lift phone. Our landline switch off guide explains the household side of the same change.
Second, ask your provider and each equipment supplier two questions in writing: when will my line move, and will this device work on a digital line? Keep the answers. If a device needs replacing, that is a cost to plan for rather than a surprise.
Third, check your broadband. Moving a business landline to a digital service usually leans on your internet connection, so it is worth knowing what service you have. Our business broadband rights guide covers the protections that apply, and our upload speed guide explains why upload matters for calls.
None of this is difficult. It is mostly a list and a few emails, done before the line is the thing that decides the timetable.
Frequently asked questions about the business landline switch off
- When is the business landline switch off?
- GOV.UK says the PSTN is being switched off by the telecoms industry by January 2027, with all PSTN reliant devices needing to be upgraded by then.
- How many landlines have already moved?
- GOV.UK says over two thirds of UK landlines have already been upgraded to VoIP, on its page as last updated on 16 October 2026.
- What business equipment could be affected?
- GOV.UK lists analogue phones, fire and other alarms, payment terminals, lifts and elevators, intercom systems and broadband services, as well as door entry systems and telecare devices.
- Will I need an engineer?
- Not always. GOV.UK says it may be as simple as plugging your phone into your router, but in some cases an engineer visit is needed.
- What if I do not have broadband?
- GOV.UK says some providers offer an interim dedicated landline service until a digital solution is available or 2030, whichever comes sooner.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Moving landlines to digital technologies (published 28 May 2025, last updated 16 October 2026). Source for the January 2027 deadline, the 45% rise in PSTN incidents in 2024, the 2,600 major incidents in 2024 to 2025, the two thirds of landlines already on VoIP, the list of affected business equipment, the engineer and router guidance, the advice to migrate early, and the interim dedicated landline service running to 2030.
Checked 19 October 2026. Your provider will tell you when your own line is due to move.
