Openreach says UK landline switch-off will not be delayed

Overview

Updated 1 hour ago

About one million copper phone lines remain active in the UK, including 300,000 in business premises. Openreach has told communications providers the legacy Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) will be retired on 31 January 2027, and it says the deadline will not move.

That deadline reaches beyond desk phones. It covers lift alarms, fire panels, payment terminals, door-entry systems and telecare devices that still depend on copper.

Why it matters

If a lift, alarm, payment terminal or office phone still uses copper, the January 2027 deadline now leaves little room to migrate.

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Key Indicators

1,000,000

Copper-based lines still active

Openreach says about one million PSTN lines remain across the UK.

300,000

Business premises lines remaining

Openreach estimates 300,000 active copper lines sit in business premises.

3,200,000

PSTN landline customers, July 2025

Ofcom reported 3.2 million landline customers on PSTN in July 2025, down from 5.2 million a year earlier.

31 Jan 2027

PSTN retirement deadline

Openreach says the legacy network will be retired on this date with no extension.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

People Involved

James Lilley

Director of All-IP at Openreach

Leading Openreach's warning to remaining PSTN customers

Dan Jarvis

Security minister in the UK government

Asked by MPs to protect remote communities during the switchover

Organizations Involved

Openreach

Telecoms network operator

Running the UK's largest PSTN retirement program

The BT-owned network arm that runs the UK's largest copper and fibre access network.

BT Group

Telecoms company

Parent company of Openreach and a retail phone provider

Britain's largest telecoms company and Openreach's parent.

Ofcom

Telecoms regulator

Monitoring the migration and emergency-access safeguards

The UK's independent telecommunications regulator.

Government of the United Kingdom

National government

Supports the industry-led migration and has coordinated pauses

The government backs the digital upgrade and has stepped in when vulnerable customers were at risk.

Timeline

November 2017 November 2026

6 events Latest: Today

Tap a bar to jump to that date

November 2026
Openreach says 31 January 2027 retirement is fixed
Today Statement

Openreach told providers the deadline will not move and complex lines must migrate now.
Today
October 2026
MPs warn remote areas risk losing emergency access
Statement

MPs urged security minister Dan Jarvis to protect remote communities in storms.
5 days ago
July 2025
PSTN landline customers fall to 3.2 million
Data

Ofcom reported a drop from 5.2 million a year earlier.
July 2025
December 2023
Government pauses telecare migration
Policy

Ministers acted after reports of serious incidents involving telecare devices.
December 2023
March 2022
BT pauses Digital Voice rollout
Corporate

BT paused consumer migration for over a year over power-cut concerns.
March 2022
November 2017
Industry announces PSTN retirement
Policy

Telecoms companies set the retirement of the analogue phone network in motion.
November 2017

Scenarios

Switch-off holds on 31 January 2027

Likely Resolves by Feb 28, 2027

Discussed by: Openreach and BT

Openreach says the technical barriers have been resolved and the date is fixed. Remaining customers either move to digital voice, a transitional copper product, or the temporary EVAc safety-net service. The retirement proceeds on schedule.

Ministers delay the deadline for vulnerable and remote lines

Possible Resolves by Jan 31, 2027

Discussed by: MPs representing remote areas and the House of Commons Library

Concerns about telecare, lift alarms and emergency access in remote areas push the government to ask for another pause. Openreach has said the deadline is fixed, but the migration has already been paused twice before.

A post-switch-off safety failure triggers an Ofcom review

Unlikely Resolves by Q2 2027

Discussed by: BBC coverage of MPs' warnings

A telecare device, lift alarm or emergency line fails after the copper network is retired. Ofcom opens a formal review into whether providers met their safeguards for vulnerable customers.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2025

Original PSTN switch-off target (2025)

The telecoms industry originally planned to retire the PSTN on 31 December 2025. The migration was paused twice after concerns about vulnerable customers and telecare devices.

Then

The target moved to 31 January 2027.

Now

Openreach now says the later date is locked in, but the earlier delay shows the deadline can move under political pressure.

Why this matters now

The current deadline has already slipped once, which is why Openreach's no-extension warning carries weight.

December 2023

Telecare migration pause (2023)

The government asked the industry to pause the rollout after reports of serious incidents involving telecare devices. Providers then signed commitments to protect vulnerable customers.

Then

Providers agreed not to migrate users of incompatible telecare devices and to offer battery backup.

Now

Openreach says the technical barriers to migration have since been resolved.

Why this matters now

The same safety concerns now sit behind MPs' warnings about remote communities and emergency access.

2024–2025