The UK's traditional copper telephone network — PSTN and ISDN — is being permanently shut down by 31 January 2027. Openreach has already stopped selling new analogue services, and thousands of organisations are upgrading to VoIP phone systems, cloud telephony, and digital voice solutions to stay operational.
If your business still relies on landline phones, fax machines, alarm lines, card payment terminals, ADSL broadband, or anything plugged into a copper phone socket, this guide explains:
- What the PSTN switch-off means
- The risks of delaying your migration
- How to upgrade to VoIP for business smoothly
- Why acting early will save time, money, and disruption
🔎 What Are PSTN & ISDN — and Why Are They Being Switched Off?
For decades, PSTN and ISDN powered the UK's:
- Office landlines
- Alarm monitoring lines
- Door access & intercom systems
- Payment and EPOS terminals
- Fax machines
- Legacy broadband services (ADSL/FTTC)
But the copper infrastructure is now outdated, costly to maintain, and incompatible with modern digital communications technology.
That's why:
- Openreach is retiring all copper-based telephone services
- Analogue and ISDN products stopped selling after September 2023
- The nationwide PSTN/ISDN shutdown completes January 2027
👉 After that date, all analogue phone lines will stop working across the UK.
⚠️ What Happens if Your Business Does NOT Migrate in Time?
Failing to migrate before the deadline carries significant operational and financial risks.
❌ 1. Your Business Phone Numbers Will Go Dead
Once your analogue line is deactivated, inbound and outbound calls will fail immediately.
❌ 2. Essential Devices May Stop Working
Many systems still depend on copper lines:
- Alarm systems & monitoring
- Door entry & intercom devices
- Lift emergency phones
- EPOS & chip-and-PIN card terminals
- Fax machines
- ADSL/FTTC broadband services
- Legacy CCTV systems
❌ 3. Risk of Business Downtime & Disruption
Delays typically result in:
- Lost phone numbers
- Costly service outages
- Long installation lead times
- Emergency faults with no guaranteed fix
🎯 Why Migrating NOW Is the Smartest Business Decision
Upgrading early gives you:
- ✓ Faster installation dates
- ✓ Better contract pricing for VoIP solutions
- ✓ Access to modern cloud phone systems
- ✓ Improved mobility, remote work & call routing
- ✓ Upgraded security and reliability
- ✓ Future-proof communication for the next decade
This is more than a replacement — it's an opportunity to upgrade to next-generation business telephony.
🧭 Quick Self-Audit: Does Your Business Need to Switch?
You must migrate if:
- ✔ You still use a traditional landline
- ✔ Any devices are connected to a phone socket
- ✔ Your broadband uses copper (ADSL / FTTC)
- ✔ You want features like call routing, voicemail-to-email, softphone apps
- ✔ You have multi-site operations or hybrid workers
If you answered YES to any of these, you need to act now.
🚀 How to Migrate Smoothly — Recommended Process
| Step | Action | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Audit all devices using phone sockets | Identifies hidden PSTN dependencies |
| 2 | Test broadband capacity for VoIP | VoIP requires stable fibre connectivity |
| 3 | Schedule migration off-peak | Avoid operational downtime |
| 4 | Upgrade alarms, EPOS & access systems | Many will not function after switch-off |
| 5 | Configure cloud telephony features | Enables routing, mobility & analytics |
| 6 | Train staff on VoIP apps & handsets | Ensures smooth adoption |
| 7 | Add backup/failover systems | Increases reliability and safety |
⭐ The Business Advantages of Upgrading Early
- Lower operational costs
- Better call clarity and uptime
- Advanced call management & reporting
- Remote work-ready phone systems
- Enhanced cybersecurity
- Easier scalability
- Reduced maintenance costs
🛡 Why Choose Broadway SecureTech for Your PSTN Migration?
With 15+ years of telecom expertise and over 1,000 five-star reviews, Broadway SecureTech offers a complete end-to-end PSTN migration service:
- ✓ Full site audit (phones, alarms, CCTV, broadband)
- ✓ Fibre broadband & network upgrade recommendations
- ✓ VoIP phone system installation
- ✓ Number porting & continuity planning
- ✓ User training (desk phones, softphones, mobile apps)
- ✓ Replacement of legacy hardware
- ✓ Ongoing support & maintenance
We don't just switch you to VoIP —
we future-proof your entire communication infrastructure.
📞 Book Your Free PSTN/ISDN Switch-Off Assessment
The 2027 deadline is approaching rapidly.
Avoid disruption — migrate on your schedule, not the telecom provider's.