Time to go digital: the analogue phone line switch off is just around the corner

The analogue phone switch off is upon us but is your business ready?

It’s easy to assume that we’ve been “fully digital” in the UK for many years now. After all, the digital TV switchover began in 2008 and completed in 2012. And most of us have now been using digital devices on a daily basis for many years – more familiar with Wi-Fi and 5G than we are with the traditional dial-up tone of yesteryear.

However, it’s important to note that the infrastructure supporting the country’s phone and internet connections remains heavily reliant on a copper wire network that has been with us for over a century. While this system has served us well for generations, the copper Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is no longer fit for purpose and is set to be phased out by 2027.

If your business still relies on a traditional phone line, alarm system, or broadband connection that runs over PSTN, it’s time to prepare. The analogue phone line switch-off isn’t far away – and going digital now will save you disruption later.

Openreach is responsible for maintaining the UK’s phone and broadband infrastructure and is currently going through the process of replacing the copper network with fully digital system called All-IP (Internet Protocol). Originally scheduled for completion by 2025, the deadline has been pushed back until 2027, giving Openreach more time to update the network to fibre connectivity across the UK.

In time, all calls in the country will be delivered via your internet connection using VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology.

The benefits of going digital

Moving to digital communications offers major benefits. Here are a few of the key improvements you can expect from the Big Switch Off:

Better call quality: clearer audio with less interference
More flexibility: make and receive calls from anywhere, on any device.
Lower costs: no need for separate phone lines – everything runs over your internet connection.
Future-ready infrastructure: digital systems can support new technologies and integrations that analogue lines can’t.

Making the switch shouldn’t be considered a chore. Instead, it represents an opportunity to modernise how your business communicates. Digital voice services are flexible, scalable, and work wherever your team does.

How the big switch off could affect your business

Whether you’re a small office, retail store, or multi-site business, going digital makes it easier to stay connected and future-proof your operations. Fail to get ahead of the analogue phone line switch off, though, and you could be left with a serious barrier to business as usual.

In particular, those organisations located in rural areas are at risk of a communications breakdown due to the big switch off because they are less likely to have access to full fibre connections. In fact, as of October 2025 over 48,000 premises were still without full fibre.

Fortunately there are a number of connectivity solutions you can choose from to make the switch to digital fast, efficient and cost effective.

Analogue phone line switch off: next steps

If you are in any doubt about how the analogue phone switch off might affect you, start by checking in with your phone and internet supplier about your current setup – then be sure to compare connectivity services with reputable providers like us.