What is the landline switch off?
The landline switch off is the planned retirement of the old copper phone network. By the end of January 2027, every home phone will move to a digital connection that runs over your broadband. The old system, called the PSTN, has carried our calls for more than 60 years, and it’s being retired for a simple reason: it’s become too hard and too costly to keep going.
In practice, the landline switch off means your calls will travel over the internet instead of down a dedicated phone line. For most people the handset still looks exactly the same. It just plugs into a broadband router, or a small adapter, rather than the socket on the wall.
This is a national change, not a sales pitch from one provider, so every household will be moved across in time. The good news is that you don’t have to sit and wait for it to happen, and a bit of planning now makes the landline switch off far smoother.
Why is it happening now?
It’s happening now because the copper network is wearing out, and the industry has finally set a firm deadline to replace it. Openreach and the big providers have confirmed the old network closes on 31 January 2027. The move is already well under way.
Ofcom’s own figures show how fast this is going. Its Communications Market Report, published on 30 June 2026, shows the number of people still on the old landline network dropped from around 5.2 million in July 2024 to roughly 3.2 million a year later, and Openreach says about 2.8 million lines are left to move before the deadline. Providers stopped selling traditional copper lines back in 2023, and through 2026 they’re quietly shifting the rest of their customers across.
So if you’ve signed up for or renewed a broadband deal recently, there’s a decent chance your calls already run over the internet without you noticing. Digital calls overtook the old network some time ago: 12.9 million of the UK’s 21.4 million fixed voice connections now run over broadband. For many of us, the landline switch off is further along than we realise.
The switch off in numbers
Figures below checked July 2026, from Ofcom’s Communications Market Report (June 2026) and Openreach.
| What | The figure |
|---|---|
| Final switch off date | 31 January 2027 |
| Lines still on the old copper network | Around 2.8 million, over half a million of them business lines |
| Home phones already running over broadband | 12.9 million of 21.4 million fixed voice connections |
| Full fibre lines in the UK | 12.3 million, up 38% in a year |
| Minimum power cut protection providers must offer | At least 1 hour of emergency calls, with a free battery for those who need it |
What changes for your home phone
For everyday calls, honestly, very little changes. You keep your number, you dial the same way, and the quality is usually as good or better. The real difference sits behind the scenes: your line now leans on your broadband and on mains power at home.
| Old copper landline | Digital landline | |
|---|---|---|
| Plugs into | The phone socket on the wall | Your broadband router or an adapter |
| Works in a power cut | Usually yes | Not without a backup battery |
| Your number | Stays | Stays |
| Your handset | Works | Usually works, often via an adapter |
| Call quality | Fine | As good or better |
A few things are worth knowing. Older handsets generally still work, often with a small plug in adapter. Many providers fold the digital service, sometimes badged as Digital Voice or something similar, into your existing package at no extra cost, though that depends on the plan you’re on, so it’s worth a quick look at your bill rather than assuming.
And it’s not only phones that lean on the old line. Some house alarms, care alarms, telecare pendants, lift phones, fax machines, even the odd card machine, run on it too. If you rely on any of them, flag it with your provider before you move.
Will your phone work in a power cut?
A digital landline won’t work in a power cut on its own, because it needs both your broadband and mains electricity to be up. This is the single biggest practical change, and it matters most for anyone who counts on their phone in an emergency.
Regulators have built in some protection. Ofcom makes providers offer a way to keep reaching the emergency services for at least an hour during a power cut, usually a free backup battery for anyone who needs one. Some of the newer battery units claim to keep you connected for several hours rather than just the one.
There’s also an industry agreement, the PSTN Charter, under which providers have promised not to move people who use telecare alarms until a compatible setup is ready, and to go beyond the bare minimum on backup power for vulnerable customers. If you or someone in your family would be at real risk without a working phone, say so, and your provider should treat the move as a priority.
What to do before the landline switch off
The smart move is to take charge of the landline switch off yourself rather than wait for a letter to drop on the mat. For most homes, a short checklist does the job.
Your landline switch off checklist
- Find out whether your calls already run over broadband, or when your provider plans to move you.
- Make a list of any alarms, telecare devices or other kit plugged into the phone line, and ask whether they’re compatible.
- Tell your provider if anyone at home relies on the phone in an emergency, or has no mobile signal.
- Ask whether a free backup battery is available if you think you’ll need one for power cuts.
- Treat the change as a nudge to compare broadband deals, since you might pick up a better package at the same time.
Because the whole thing is tied to your broadband, it’s a natural moment to check what you’re actually paying. If your deal has slipped out of contract, or the price has quietly crept up, you can often compare broadband deals and line up a better one before you’re moved across.
For the fastest, steadiest connection for your digital calls, our fibre broadband speed guide is a good next read, and if you can’t get fibre where you live, 5G home broadband is worth a look. If your bill has jumped lately, it’s worth knowing your rights on broadband price rises, and you can usually trim a bit more by reviewing broadband and TV packages together.
How much will the landline switch off cost you?
For most people the switch itself costs nothing. There’s no national charge to move, a standard home shouldn’t need any new wiring, and plenty of providers include the digital phone service in your existing package. BT, for example, bundles Digital Voice into its broadband deals at no extra charge.
Where a cost can creep in is around the edges, so it pays to know the current numbers. As of July 2026: BT put line rental up by £1 a month from 31 March 2026 for landline only customers who don’t take broadband, and it offers a £10 a month landline only social tariff for people on means tested benefits. If you’re on a low income, broadband social tariffs from around £12 a month can carry your digital phone line too.
If all you ever wanted was a phone, and you’ve never had broadband, providers do offer simpler options, so ask what’s on the table rather than paying for speed you’ll never use. Prices change often and vary by provider and plan, so treat any figure here as a checked snapshot rather than a promise, and compare before you commit. The suppliers are counting on you doing nothing. Doing nothing is the only option that definitely costs you.
Frequently asked questions about the landline switch off
- Do I have to switch, or can I keep my old landline?
- The old copper network closes by the end of January 2027, so everyone moves to a digital line eventually. You can’t stay on the old system, but your provider has to help you make the move, with extra support if you’re vulnerable.
- Will I keep my current phone number?
- Yes. Your number comes with you to the digital service, and you dial exactly as you do today.
- Do I need to buy a new phone?
- Usually not. Most handsets you already own will still work, often by plugging into the router or a small adapter your provider sends out.
- When will my provider move me across?
- Providers are migrating customers through 2026, ahead of the January 2027 deadline. You’ll get notice before anything changes, usually by letter, and there’s nothing to pay for the move itself.
- What happens to my care alarm or house alarm?
- Some alarms run on the old line, so check with the alarm supplier and your phone provider before you move. Providers have agreed not to migrate telecare users until a compatible setup is in place.
- What if I don’t have broadband at home?
- There are options for homes without broadband, including basic packages built around the phone, like BT’s £10 a month landline only social tariff for those on qualifying benefits. Ask your provider what’s available so you’re not paying for more than you need.
